When is it Time to End a Relationship?

New relationships can be fun, exciting, even exhilarating. For many couples, the first few months of dating are often met with extreme physical attraction, extensive bonding and countless hours of interaction. Then, after a few months of dating, we encounter this period in our relationship when we realize we may be living in a fantasy world. It is this point when we either make or break the relationship.

When we pass this period of fantasy realization, we often begin to question our attraction to the mate we have chosen to spend countless hours with in the past several months. As we begin to analyze our very basic needs and feelings, it is during this period that many relationships dissolve, simply due to a sudden awakening and realization that our mate may not be the most suitable person for our life.

As we pass through and beyond this phase of awareness, if the relationship survives, we often find that a whole new type of relationship emerges. It is during this newly developed relationship with our partner that we begin to develop other areas of our life, beyond the extreme sexual and physical tension. We begin to recognize how our partner is different from ourselves and we find ways in which to adapt and make those differences useful in our relationship.

For many individuals, the familiarity of a relationship that has built over several months often results in our continuing with the relationship, even when we come to the realization that the person we are involved with may not be most suitable for us. When this occurs, we often feel resentful toward our partner, feel constrained in the relationship and, without even realizing we are doing it, may create more complications and tension in the relationship.