What kills long-distance relationships?

In a world of instantaneous and endless possibilities for connection, long-distance relationships are becoming more and more common. But these opportunities don’t make them less complicated. 

As a person currently in a long-distance relationship, you should know what kills long-distance relationships. It’s essential to understand the hurdles, not to see them in fear but to get rid of them to grow your long-distance relationship. 

So, without any delay, let’s dig in to find the most common things that kill long-distance relationships.

What is a long-distance relationship?

A long-distance relationship is a romantic relationship in which the couples live far from each other. According to the European Journal of Population, the relationship is considered long-distance if the couple has to travel at least an hour to meet their partner. 

It is the standard setting that defines the long-distance relationship when the couples are geographically separate. But still, it’s different than the standard to describe a long-distance relationship, as most people have their definitions to describe it. 

However, the common thing that most people agree on is that the couple lives far away and has to travel to be together. 

You are virtually glued to your partner.

It’s essential to have consistent communication with your partner. In a long-distance relationship, it’s vital to give importance to your partner, but this means you glue yourself to your partner only sometimes. 

You may desperately want to be in connection with him all the time, but remember, an overload of physical connection can ruin your relationship. You can’t ignore the fact that he has to be around other people to do his things and need his personal space. 

It’s among the most significant challenges, as only some people understand that being in virtual contact too much can harm your long-distance relationship. 

Lack of communication

In a relationship, whether you are long-distance or not, communication is the heart of it. Communication is a key that can make or break a relationship.

In a long-distance relationship, good communication has a large number of benefits. Good and open communication fills the distance gaps and attaches you emotionally. 

At the same time, poor communication over long distances can also kill your relationship. It can make you and your partner emotionally and physically more distant. 

As discussed in the first point, you don’t have to be in touch with him all the time, but expressing your emotions, daily challenges, and feelings can make your partner feel loved.

The lack of effective communication in a relationship can make you feel disconnected and lonely all the time.  

Holding grudges against each other

When you two are miles away, little things can cause tension in a relationship, especially if they are left unaddressed. So try not to let small disagreements escalate into big things. 

If something is bothering you, try to communicate openly but gently. Don’t let such things spoil your love for your partner. 

Besides, keeping a score of your partner’s flaws or mistakes for later is terrible for a healthy relationship. Apologizing for your mistakes only makes the relationship stronger. At the same time, ignoring small mistakes will cause long-distance relationships to flourish. 

Insecurity and jealousy

It’s normal to feel jealous and insecure, especially when your partner has a different social life than yours. Don’t let your insecurity show in your behavior. If something is bothering calmly discuss it with your partner.

Similarly, if your partner has some anxieties, then give him proper reassurance. Security will slowly trigger controlling behavior, so try resisting this strong urge to monitor your partner’s behavior.  

Focus on building your relationship strong. Establish your boundaries and discuss your feelings openly. Feeling defensive or jealous is not bad, but holding it in will only make it bigger.

Unresolved issues can harm a long-distance relationship.

Unhealthy conflict resolution is one of the potential things that can destroy a healthy relationship. Besides, it’s one of the most common reasons for breakups in long-distance relationships. 

When you meet your partner after a long time, it’s normal to let go of your anger or completely forget any unpleasantness. According to a study conducted on 285 people, video chats were the most validating conflict style, while phone calls were a mix of hostile and volatile conflict styles. 

Face-to-face issues were usually avoided as the long-distance partners didn’t want to waste the little time they had together while fighting. It’s totally understandable but not a healthy way to deal with conflicts. 

Lack of trust

Lack of trust is a common issue in a long-distance relationship. It’s because the physical distance increases doubts and insecurities. 

The absence of your partner’s physical presence creates insecurities that lead to doubts about their feelings, actions, and their loyalty towards the relationship. 

Unnecessary conflicts and misunderstandings are the result of the need for more trust in a relationship. In some cases, the distance makes the partner overly possessive, resulting in demanding every single detail of his day, which leads to stress. 

Constantly asking for the details of their daily interactions can result in a suffocating atmosphere. The lack of personal space can affect the sense of autonomy that is essential to a healthy relationship. 

Infidelity fear

In a long-distance relationship, the fear of infidelity can make you lose your partner. Partners need trust to go through this long-distance relationship period. When couples are miles away, it’s common to have an urge to slip away. So if something like that happens, it’s better to end the relationship than get caught cheating and hurting your partner. 

Long-distance relationships can make you question the feelings and actions of your partner. If you don’t handle the situation properly, it can lead to destructive jealousy.

According to the research, trust is vital to maintain a healthy long-distance relationship. Without trust, jealousy takes root in the relationship, causing all the misunderstandings and conflicts. 

Lack of shared experiences

Shared experiences act as the bonding glue in the relationship. They provide a firm ground, and you create memories together that you look upon for a lifetime with fondness. 

The physical distance in a long-distance relationship naturally limits the people to enjoy such moments together. 

However, with a bit of creativity, you can still create opportunities for shared experience and decrease the physical distance effect. 

Go on Online dates together, play multiplayer video games, or watch movies together. Despite the geographical distance, spending time with your partner is relatively easy in the advanced era. 

When you don’t make an effort, your relationship can become a series of monotonous calls. But if you are actively making efforts, your relationship can become very alive and healthy. 

Final Thoughts

Being in a long-distance relationship is unavoidable for some people. That’s why it’s vital that instead of fighting over this, think of solutions. 

So, how do you fix a long-distance relationship? Firstly, you have to identify the issues and then think of the solutions to fix them. Every couple faces a different obstacle, so first identify the problems that can affect your relationship. 

You can work on the above-mentioned tips to eliminate them, but if you find it difficult, you can always ask for help from relationship counseling. 

But remember, good communication, trust in your partner, and faith in your relationship always help.