Long-distance relationship
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A long-distance relationship is:
- They met through a dating service and live far apart.
- They met in an Internet community, such as a forum or multiplayer online game.
- They met while one or both was on vacation.
- They used to live close together, but one has since moved away (e.g., job, college, military)
These include 2.5 to 3 million long distance marriages and between 3 and 4.5 million dating couples. Some studies suggest rates of long distance marriage as high as 10-16%.[citation needed]
Between 27 and 63% of military marriages are long distance. Among college students, 25% report being in an LDR at any given time and 78% report having had an LDR at some point during their time in college. Among first year college students, estimates suggest that as many as 50% of students report an LDR.[citation needed]
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[edit] Popularity
The best estimates suggest that about 7 million couples in the United States consider themselves long distance.[citation needed]
[edit] Trust
Trust between the two parties is a key requirement for a successful long-distance relationship. Either party may be engaging in social activities which, under usual circumstances, could lead to the forming of a relationship. For example, one party may go out with friends or colleagues from work. These colleagues may very well include single persons interested in a relationship. For them it may appear that the long-distance relationship is 'weak' and not substantially important. It requires each partner to learn to trust the other. Of course, the same can be said of regular relationships as well.
[edit] Visits
The sustainability of long-distance relationships, unlike traditional relationships, often relies on both partners making efforts to visit each other. The difference between these visits and visits between partners engaged in a traditional relationship is that they are not as frequent, forcing partners apart for weeks, months or more at a time. Thus discussing possible times to visit, planning these "vacations" and other interpersonal activities together - which may not be seen as important in a traditional relationship because of the frequency of their happening - are often required for the relationship to be sustained.
However, it is important to remember that the sustainability of a long-distance relationship can be aversely affected by the length of time the couple is apart. Since a large amount of time spent apart is a key feature shared by all long-distance relationships, partners may find it all the more important to keep open lines of communication between each other in substitution of the regular visits and activities partners in traditional relationships share.
[edit] Technology & Communication
Online dating and The Internet have greatly expanded the opportunities to meet people from other parts of the world. Because of this, long distance relationships are becoming more common. Technologies including cell phones, e-mail, online chatting and video conferencing have also made it possible to keep in touch. Other forms of communication often include:
- Letters
- Instant messaging
- Text messaging
- Sending gifts (e.g., flowers, scented clothes, chocolates)
- Shared online activities (e.g., online games such as chess, roleplay games such as Ragnarok and World of Warcraft)
- Shared offline activities (e.g., watching the same movie while talking on the phone)
[edit] External links
- 10 Rules To Make Long Distance Relationships Work Article about the pitfalls of long distance relationships and how to overcome them.
- www.loveandculture.net Scientific articles about Long Distance and bi-cultural Relationships in English, Spanish and German.
- - Miss Your Mate - Long Distance Relationships
- - Guide on how to make long distance relationships work
- Long Distance Love Stories Couples share stories about their Long Distance Relationships.
