Friends with benefits
Where did you come across the phrase? For me, it was the movie “Friends With Benefits” that introduced me to the words and the concept of it. It was in the same year that another film was released, which explored the same consent. I think you already know which movie I am talking about. Yes, you all are correct. It is “No Strings Attached.”
We all have that one friend with whom we share all our thoughts and judgments and who is there for us no matter what, whom we call our 2 A.M. friends. They will be there for us whenever we need them and will walk that extra mile for us. But can we call that relationship friends with benefits? Well, the answer is no.
Friends with benefits is the relationship where you are involved in a sexual relationship with that person, but without being emotionally attached. The movies showed us how they wanted to keep it casual, but ultimately, they failed to keep it strictly sexual and got attached to the other person.
Real life is a lot different than a movie. Everything shown in a film might not be all a lie, but parts of it are. If you believe whatever is happening in the film is going to happen to you, then my friend, you are mistaken. You might have a hard time dealing with it. Not everybody has the stomach to deal with friends with benefits.
What does FWB mean?
The two main ingredients for cooking up a stable relationship are emotional intimacy and physical intimacy. But what if we try to cook up something new? What if it is just a casual hook-up without involving any emotions and commitments? Then, that is what we call friends with benefits or FWB.
FWB means a relationship where two people get intimate physically. Still, they are not bound together with any expectations, committed to one another, and not obligated to tell one another the reason if they suddenly decide not to pursue the other person anymore.
Now that you know what FWB means, how would you know if it is right for you?
There is much to consider if you are entering a new relationship, and even more if that is friends with benefits. Friends with benefits is not everyone’s cup of tea. So before you get yourself involved in the matter, know what are the things that you have to consider.
Why does FWB work for some?
Does friends with benefits work for everyone? The short and crisp answer is no. But why it doesn’t work; we will get into detail later, but here we are talking about why it works out for some, so it will help you figure out if you fall into that category or not.
Many people are more into the casual hook-up side of the relationship rather than getting seriously and emotionally invested in it. There could be various possible reasons behind it.
Some people might not have the idea of being in one monogamous relationship; maybe they are just not interested in getting seriously committed. Or they might want to focus on their career and don’t have time for a committed relationship. This group of people is a good fit for pursuing a friends-with-benefits relationship.
Other people might just have had a bad experience in their previous relationship, which had scarred them for life. They might not want to enjoy casual sex occasionally and not care about being emotionally attached.
People who do not like the idea of being with a person romantically, or some people who are in open relationships, can also get involved in this and be a good fit for FWB.
Why should you avoid FWB?
Are you the emotional type? Then try to get yourself involved in friends with benefits relationship. The person you like might be only interested in friends-with-benefits. It is best to avoid the situation to save yourself from the chance of heartbreak.
You already know that you are falling for this person, and even if you know what you are getting yourself into, you might get tempted to get into the relationship to be with the person for some time, even if it is for just meaningless sex.
But You have to consider the downsides as well. You might end up being heartbroken, dejected, and unfulfilled. It is not like a friends-with-benefits relationship has never evolved into something more, but one person is always more invested than the other person. If you perceive that it might get somewhere, you are likely heading towards your doom with open eyes.
A few suggestions for a healthy FWB
Now that we know about “what does FWB mean,” let’s look into the matter of keeping the relationship healthy. If you have thought about getting into a friends-with-benefits relationship with someone, then you both must be clear about what you are getting yourselves into. You both should be clear about what it means to the other person. You have to consider all the advantages and disadvantages of getting into it.
It is better to understand that this person is not your significant other, and this person will not provide you with any emotional support. But a few ways can help you pursue friends with benefits better.
Setting a few ground rules
For a friends-with-benefits relationship to work out, there should be a mutual understanding between the two of you. You have to know what the other person is expecting of you. You must agree on what you are comfortable with and what makes you uncomfortable. So it is best to set some rules for FWB.
The person you are with is your best friend, and you both share a platonic relationship outside the bedroom. It would be best to keep that friendship out of your monkey business. It should not happen that you end up falling in love with your best friend.
Communication is the key
You both need to be on the same page for this relationship to work out; communication is the only way to achieve that. You should be honest with each other and keep the communication open while in the relationship.
The only way to avoid any confusion or some signals that you might have misread should be cleared right away. If anything about your relationship has changed, even a little bit, it should be conveyed to the other person immediately.
Think of it like probation
Think as if you are under probation, and there is a fixed duration of it. This will save you from the awkward and painful endings that often happen during the end of the relationship. Before you get into the relationship, you both should mutually decide on the duration of the relationship that you will have.
Talk to them about other sexual partners
FWB means being physically intimate with a person but not romantically. But that does not mean you are only being intimate with that person; this is not monogamous. Both of you are open to having other intimate relationships or even dating someone. But you should be open about that as well.
It is essential to keep your mental and emotional health in check. Get yourself tested regularly for STIs if you are involved physically with more than one or two people. Remember that your FWB can end anytime for any reason.
FWB and situationship: Are they the same?
Are you confused about situationship and FWB? We have discussed what FWB means. Now it’s turning to situationship. There is nothing romantic about being in FWB, but in a situationship, you both are in it romantically, but there is no proper name to it. You are not committed, and probably you are together because the situation permits. And once the situation changes, everything changes along with it.
Wrapping up!
I personally do not feel that friends with benefits ever work out. Still, again, there are people who have bitter experiences from the past and do not want to be involved in any emotional relationships and commitments. But mostly, one person ends up growing feelings and gets hurt.
Sex is a very important part of any relationship, so getting physically intimate might trigger a lot of emotional intimacy, which you never thought you could have. So, before getting into a friends-with-benefits, think of all the aspects clearly and then get into it.
So if you are looking up the internet for “what is FWB,” “What does FWB mean in text,” “what does FWB mean on Snapchat,” and “what does FWB mean in dating?,” then now you know they are all the same thing and mean exactly the same.
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