Have you ever felt physical or emotional attraction for a friend and thought you could take the step? Or maybe you decided to keep it quiet so as not to risk the friendship? Well, that was the most common thing that could happen before. But now that times have changed, societies are including new terms to define different types of relationships… And that is precisely where the «friendship» comes from.
According to psychologist Francisco Pérez, specialist in clinical psychology and cognitive-behavioral therapy, “friends” are two friends who maintain complicity and in which there is a generally sentimental and not so much sexual attraction..
“This attraction could also be defined as the ‘chemical’ aspect of love that is experienced for another person,” highlights the expert.
The most correct thing is that both of them are agreed on their friendship in the guise of boyfriends, without the need to express it on social networks. They can kiss and hug each other in gestures of affection, hold hands and even attend social events under the profile of “good friends.”.
But one of the most important aspects for this type of relationship to work, says psychologist Francisco Pérez, is the “decision or promise” that both assume so that the friendship is maintained no matter what happens. Unfortunately, this gesture is not always fulfilled, due to confusion or the degree of commitment that one of the two takes over the other, which breaks the entire relationship.
How do “friends” differ from friends with benefits?
Friends with benefits go a bit towards the opposite: being able to have sexual relations without the commitment of being romantically linked. This type of relationship is fundamentally based on physical attraction, which allows them to become intimate given the opportunity to be single..
Unlike “friends”, where they are more confident and loving, on this other level They propose maintaining friendship and enjoying additional benefits such as having sexual encounters. It is something similar to an open relationship and is common among some ex-couples.
Sex without commitment? Well yes, that’s basically it.. Although there is always the risk that along the way one of the parties will lose their way, feeling confusion, jealousy or the false idea that time will lead them to a true love relationship.
Among the “friends” there is greater communicative harmony. Maybe you have a social event that you would like to go to with someone, but you don’t have a boyfriend, and that’s where the “friend” advantage comes in.
But that thing about friends with benefits becomes a hidden story where feelings are downplayedthere are no romantic details, sex without love predominates, there are constant infidelities and if that were not enough: zero explanations.