Men and women often fantasize about having sex with someone other than their spouse or partner. Many choose not to pursue further or go beyond the fantasy, as it could compromise their monogamous relationship. Today, however, quite a few couples, married or living together, are experimenting with the possibility of opening their relationships to outside partners without jeopardizing their emotional intimacy and trust at home. Although most committed couples in long term intimate relationships expect that theirs will be a monogamous marriage, the facts concerning sex, sexual satisfaction, and human behavior reveal some bitter truths.
But what if couples did not have to cheat this way? What if previously monogamous couples permitted each other to develop a sex life and have sexual relationships with outside partners? Open marriages fall under the broader category of casual non-monogamous relationships, in which couples agree to the following ground rules:.
Open relationships differ from polyamorous relationships in that partners in open marriages do not intend to develop intimate connections outside of their primary partner. There is speculation, however, that there are a great many failures in open marriages due to everything from poor communication and misunderstandings to outright jealousy and ego problems.
Open relationships are about important things like communication as much as they are about sex. Like most healthy relationships to have a chance at success, both spouses must agree and be clear about their intentions. Some relationship experts consider this type of relationship a good idea for some marriages. They would argue that some married people might benefit from taking the next step, having more sexual freedom thereby becoming better partners as a result. Set Clear Intentions.
If a couple is in crisis, simply opening the current relationship and allowing others in will not fix core issues. Instead, it will make them worse. Partners should be very clear about their intentions of being open. Is it simply to have other sexual experiences? Or is it to run away from the existing problems or an attempt to fix them? Open Discussion. Couples must have conversations about the concept of an open marriage in a neutral state of mind.
