Are you in a Love triangle situation?? here’s how to handle that
A love triangle is a sustained sexual and/or emotional attachment between two people, one of whom is in a committed relationship with another person. While a love triangle may begin with a casual, short term affair between these two people, the term generally refers to a more complex relationship. A love triangle is one of the more complicated psychological relationship issues, and yet it’s also one of the most common.
Method One of Three:
Identifying Your Role
Examine your place in the love triangle. There are two primary forms of love triangle: the “rivalrous” and the “split object.” In the rivalrous, you are one of two people competing for the exclusive love of the third person. In the split object, you are the person whose affection is divided between two lovers.
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Split-object relationships can also be imaginary. This occurs when someone imagines that they’re in love with a romantic partner they’ve never met, or idealizes a relationship from their past.
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You may not have initially chosen your role in the rivalrous love triangle. You may instead consider yourself a victim of another person’s adultery. While this may have initially been true, if you’ve decided to try to stay within the relationship, you are actively choosing a role. It will help you to be honest about this.
Discuss what happened. While talking about or hearing about a love triangle is difficult, it is important to be open and honest. [3] Do all three people know about the triangle? While being honest about a love triangle may be difficult, it is ultimately recommended by most experts. Lack of honesty within a relationship can be corrosive and damaging to everyone in the triangle, including yourself.
Consider the purpose the love triangle serves in your life. All chosen relationships serve some purpose in your life, even if it’s not a healthy purpose. It’s important to determine the purpose of your participation. Does your love triangle give you the attention you desire or distract your from your life choices or other relationships? Professional counseling may help you better understand the way a love triangle is serving your psychological needs.
Choosing to continue a split object love triangle can provide the illusion of security, that you won’t be left alone. However, sometimes a split object love triangle allows a person to fulfill more of their sexual or emotional identity than is possible with only one person. Only you can truly know the difference. [4]
Choosing to continue a rivalrous triangle prevents you from developing more genuine intimacy. A rivalrous triangle thrives on interpersonal drama, rather than trust. [5]
Knowledge of a betrayal, or the act of betraying another person, may also generate unexpected sexual excitement. Of course, this won’t always be the case, but people are psychologically complex. It’s helpful to be as honest as possible about your role within the love triangle.
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