When things are going well in a FWB situation, everything is fun and exciting. But what happens after fwb ends and when everything between you is over?
A lot of emotions come into play, so you can’t help but wonder: am I in love? Am I ready for a relationship? Should I try to fix it and make it something more? Will we stay friends after we stop having s#x?
These questions go through your head because you have feelings for your partner – even if that wasn’t necessarily what you had in mind when you started seeing each other.
If your feelings for your FWB are strong or if she reciprocates them, there’s a chance that you may want to take things from FWB straight into a romance.
Also read: Can Friends with benefits turn into a full blown relationship?
When a FWB ends and you’re left scratching your head about what just happened.
If you’ve ever been on either side of an ambiguous break-up from a casual s#xual partner, then chances are you’ve experienced a lot of emotions – confusion, anger, sadness and regret being some of them.
In fact, after a failed fling, it can be hard to find closure or move on because things were left so hazy.
What happens after fwb ends?
What happens after friends with benefits ends? If an FWB situation comes to an end, then that’s all it is – an end.
People in FWBs generally stick around as friends afterward, especially if they’ve been seeing each other for some time or have a certain understanding that their time together will be limited.
Even so, life is unpredictable and romance can pop up out of nowhere at any given moment – who knows where love may take you next.
As for those who don’t want anything more from their FWBs than s#xual satisfaction and just friendship, things get a little trickier.
If one person wants something more while their partner doesn’t – even if that something is simply commitment on a shallow level, there’s usually no way around it other than ending things once and for all.
What makes it hard though, is that feelings are bound to develop over time regardless of how careful people try to be.
Also read: 100+ Questions to ask your friends with benefits
But since FWBs aren’t exactly ideal situations in terms of long-term romantic commitment – feelings shouldn’t really surprise anyone involved.
Unless you feel like making your current FWB your main relationship (aka marriage).
I’d advise against trying to make them see things differently than they do: changing someone’s mind regarding how they feel about someone else won’t make either party happy in the long run – you’ll only waste your time and theirs.
All I can say is: live and learn – every experience teaches us something new about ourselves, others, and relationships in general.
And if you’re feeling adventurous enough to pursue a Committed FWB situation, then go ahead and give it a shot.
Take everything slowly and work through complications when they come up. If nothing else, having fun outside of committed relationships with potential suitors is surely better than staying single because of a lack of interest.
Give it a chance – whether or not it turns into a meaningful relationship depends on many factors but most importantly on both parties themselves (after all, no always means no).
Also read: 15 Pros and cons of friends with benefits
What happens when friends with benefits break up?
What Happens When You Break Up With Your FWB? When two FWBs decide to go their separate ways, many close friendships end right along with them.
After all, relationships filled with lies or infidelity can quickly fall apart once exposed – only hope that honest communication was prioritized throughout your experience together.
Whether your split was planned ahead of time or came completely out of the left field, it’s important to remember that breakups rarely happen overnight.
It’s typical for two people who were used to spending lots of time together suddenly find themselves without a significant other.
Also read: Your complete guide to friends with benefits relationship
No matter how casually said significant other might’ve been treated in hindsight.
To make matters worse, you may have even started developing feelings for one another at some point – realizing what went wrong and knowing you had any part in it is going to take some getting used to.
Sometimes, friends start off as FWB but develop stronger feelings afterward; however, being unable to reciprocate these feelings and subsequently having to let someone down can definitely come as a shock.
There’s nothing quite like putting your trust into someone else’s hands – but if they abuse your generosity and betray you somehow, then they’ve really got nowhere else left to go after that.
That said, most people would agree: if you’re never going be in an exclusive relationship together anyway (whether by choice or not), then there’s less chance of anyone getting hurt by trying something new.
Also read: What does fwb mean (complete guide)
What to do when friends with benefits ends?
A FWB breakup can be difficult but it doesn’t have to be painful. No matter how long you’ve been seeing each other, it’s better to end things sooner rather than later if you’re no longer getting anything out of your current situation – after all, life is short and you deserve more.
Even if ending a FWB means losing a friend or someone you could have grown into something more with – taking things slow and ending things at an early stage might just save you from a ton of heartache in years to come.
As sad as breakups can be, they’re also an opportunity for personal growth: we learn from past mistakes (or try not to repeat them), get closure and move on.
Also read: What to do when friends with benefits ends?
So,
Should I try making friends with benefits work?
The short answer here is no – but not necessarily because it’s a bad idea per se. Everyone wants to be loved; everyone wants to feel wanted and appreciated.
We’d all love to find ourselves in a long-term relationship at some point in our lives. But sometimes things just don’t work out that way, so why waste precious time dwelling on negative emotions?
Instead of worrying about ending up alone forever, accept that life will throw challenges your way regardless of whether you plan for them or not.
Having high standards for yourself doesn’t mean that you’ll miss out on potentially great opportunities when they arise, instead, it means that you’ll need to get realistic sooner rather than later.
Keeping high standards doesn’t mean expecting perfection from yourself and others alike; instead, it means acknowledging your own flaws while hoping others are willing to see past yours.
Also read: 20+ Signs your friends with benefits relationship is over
If someone manages to see past whatever issues/problems/flaws/habits you inherited from previous experiences, then they might actually be able to appreciate everything good about you too assuming those good traits aren’t covered by a thick layer of insecurity.
The point here is simple: moving on isn’t easy but giving up has always seemed even harder. Don’t stop looking for your one simply because you gave it a shot with someone else and don’t give up on anyone simply because they gave up on you.
People change; feelings change; circumstances change. Maybe you and your partner didn’t get it right together, but maybe you will someday in some kind of twisted alternate universe?
Or maybe not? Either way, why keep torturing yourself for something that probably isn’t ever going to happen?
If forever seems like a long time to wait for someone, then remind yourself that every day spent waiting is another day wasted living in regret. Be mindful of what you put into a relationship.
Giving your all but never getting anything in return is one of the worst possible situations you can put yourself in – and when it comes to friends with benefits, that’s not a big stretch.
Sure, sleeping with someone might provide you with some immediate gratification but do you want to spend another 10 years wondering what could’ve been if you hadn’t waited for them? (You did wait for them, right?)
Also read: What are friends with benefits?
Time is valuable; it’s even more valuable when spent on something that will ultimately change very little.
Friends with benefits might seem like a good time at first glance – and they can be if handled properly – but deep down inside, they leave a lot of people feeling unsatisfied.
If you’re in a relationship and it just doesn’t work out, you can decide to break up with your partner and continue to be friends with them. This type of friendship is referred to as friends with benefits.
They both have all the advantages of regular friendships but they also enjoy their s#xual freedom. Still, such a relationship requires time and effort, therefore it’s not that easy to build one.
In some cases, people end up cheating on each other as they get tired of communicating through messengers or don’t feel enough passion when meeting in person.
Recommended reading:
Stages of friends with benefits
Types of friends with benefits
