As she says, “in situationships, there's often a lack of clear boundaries, commitment, and labels, making it difficult to know where each person stands”. This lack of clarity can mean you don't always get closure or an official breakup, and this in itself can make it harder to move on.
"If you're experiencing heartbreak from someone you weren't in a relationship with, it's really heartbreak over the loss of a fantasy – a wish, a longing, a projection that you had about them, a hope, rather than the person themselves," Dr Ben-Ari says.
Be honest, clear, and compassionate while expressing your decision to end the situationship. Avoid blaming or criticising the other person, and focus on your own emotions and needs. After expressing your decision to end the situationship, it's essential to establish clear boundaries.
How long do situationships last? It depends on the two people involved, but you know you're in a situationship when you have been in this setup for more than six months. While it is common to test the waters before committing, staying too long in a situationship does not look promising.
But a situationship ending can be a brutal experience. Sure, commitment may not be present, but you can't take away the pain from a situationship breakup. It hurts just as much as normal breakups do. In some cases, even more.
Going no contact is only helpful for you to move forward. The no-contact rule will not make your situationship want to commit to you. Full stop.
In fact, it happens all the time. Here's what the experts recommend. Bring your partner into your world. One way to transition your situationship into an actual relationship is to introduce your significant other to your friends, co-workers, and maybe even a couple of family members.
It's been three months or more. Three months is more than enough time to know if you want to commit to someone else. You have an idea of who each other is at this point. If they still “don't know” what they want or what they're looking for, it's in your best interests to walk away.
This means you don't interact on social media, you don't text or call them, and definitely no FaceTime. While some people believe following the no-contact rule will help them win their situationship over, this is not the case. No contact is to help you move forward and nothing else.
Less than a relationship, but more than a casual encounter or booty call, a situationship refers to a romantic relationship that is, and remains, undefined. "A situationship is that space between a committed relationship and something that is more than a friendship," explains psychotherapist and author Jonathan Alpert.
It's a red flag if they force you to prolong the situationship after months of dating. It's a red flag if they disregard your feelings about the situationship. It's a red flag if they make you feel bad for wanting more from the relationship after countless dates.
Since there is no clear line or boundary for what a situationship should be and how one should handle it, it can result in emotional and mental trauma, just like it does during a breakup but worse.
One of the most impactful things you can do is give yourself space to heal, Roberts explains, adding that remembering things you liked to do before the breakup can all be helpful. Another effective way to work through setbacks—romantic or otherwise—involves remembering other times you've survived difficult experiences.
In a situationship, there's typically no discussion of the future. The connection is superficial: Though you and your partner may spend time together, or may even be intimate with each other, you may not have developed a deep emotional connection.
A situationship can definitely become a committed relationship if both parties are willing to move it in that direction. Like in any dating scenario, if one party wants to move forward and the other does not, it's not getting off the ground.
These types of relationships often lack clear boundaries, commitments, and labels, which can lead to confusion and frustration. While situationships may seem convenient at first, they can quickly turn toxic and leave you feeling unfulfilled.
“It's about the lost potential as well,” she adds. “But it's more about the fact that the situationship is ending before 'the good part' is entirely consumed. It leaves one or both partners wanting more but unable to get more.
He calls and checks up on you regularly. – We live in a time where people rather text than spend just a few minutes on the phone, but if he's picking up the phone and making an effort to start a conversation, it shows that he's creating time for you.
It's a red flag if you don't know when you'll hear from your partner. You'll know you're in a situationship if you go days without a text or call from them, and then they respond as if nothing happened. This inconsistent communication can mean they're not interested or invested in the relationship.
Breadcrumbing, also known as “Hansel and Gretelling”, refers to leading someone on by contacting them sporadically and without the intention of entering into a relationship. Breadcrumbers are not usually interested in commitment; their aim is to receive attention and feel attractive and popular in the dating world.