There are different types of relationships shared between a couple on the basis of the feelings and connectivity they share with each other.
Of course, you would not have considered this earlier, but love is not the correct way to define a relationship as a couple. And this section bursts a lot of myth about it too.
15 Types of Relationship between Couples to Define Love
Well, of course, there are more than these categories but I am going to talk about 15 types of relationships in brief.
I know you will be kind of astonished but not all of them are good or pleasant and can be toxic too.
Dependent Relationship
As the name says, the dependent relationship is one of those types of relationship where one of the partners is highly dependent on another.
It can be a codependency too where both of them rely on each other for important decisions in their life.
Of course, this is kind of suffocating in the practical world because once your partner will cut off you from their life, you won’t be able to take it nicely.
In a dependent relationship, it becomes harder for the person to take any decision on their own whether it is related to their personal life or professional one.
This scenario ultimately leads to addiction of your partner which can be very wrong from a mental perspective.
Dominant Relationship
The dominant relationship is the one where one of the partners is taking all the decisions for another without asking for it.
The dominant relationship has its own factors and aspects to be considered. It is a relationship whose ground rules are established willingly by either the partners or it can be a wish of one of them too.
It can be kind of toxic but if both partners are happy in such a relationship then it can be good for them.
However, it has been seen in most cases that it soon becomes toxic for the submissive partner as they are not able to take any decisions on their own even if they want to do so. This is definitely something you should not be a part of.
Independent Relationship
If you have heard about the term “Power Couple” then you should know that an independent relationship is the one defining a Power Couple.
It is the best one out of the different types of relationships and is also considered the ideal type of relationship.
Here none of the partners are dependent on each other for any official or formal decision-making or advice. In fact, you are going to feel quite liberated in it.
You do not force your partner to behave or live a certain way and both of you are committed towards each other with the right amount of respect too.
Independent Relationships are the ones that go longer than other ones and do not involve any toxicity.
Eros Relationship
Eros are those types of relationships where two people are more attracted to each other on the basis of intimacy and sexual tension than any other couple.
This relationship is something that completely relies on the basis of sex encounters and regular sexual activities.
You can actually witness more intimacy and romance in such a couple than in other ones even when they are just sitting casually in public.
However, there are cons to such relationships as well once that sexual tension goes away, these relationships cannot last any longer.
You can also term them a kind of agreement between two people to give sexual favors to each other.
Once the excitement of a new relationship is gone, the foundation starts to crumble and such people start looking for new partners.
Sympathy Relationship
This is another relationship type which is also known as “Held by Loss” relationships. In such a union of two people, both of them are suffering from their dark past of emotional baggage and they find solace in each other for emotional support.
Although these relationships are mostly derived because of a purpose at the start it has been seen that people tend to find love in such people who are suffering from the same loss as them.
Usually, a very hurtful breakup is the reason to bring these two people closer but there can be other emotional wreckage too.
Sympathy relationships are actually better for people and can save them from causing any harm to themselves.
Pragma Relationship
Pragma is such a type of relationship that is kind of similar to an Independent relationship but there are some differences between the two.
This is basically a practical and mutually beneficial relationship where two people are benefitted from each other.
Well, it does not contain all the essence of an ideal relationship and is quite an unromantic kind of relationship to lead.
People in such a relationship consider sex to be just a biological need for reproduction and term it as more technical than emotional aspect.
Generally such kind of relationships takes place when two people lean toward each other at their workplace because it is the place they are more likely to spend time.
Infatuated Relationship
The most common type of relationship is the infatuated one. These are what kind of relationship where both the people are just infatuated with each other just for the sake of a relationship.
It is considered to be just attraction because of the looks and outer appearance of another person and nothing else.
You cannot consider it to be love because everything about this relationship is just completely superficial.
You can call it to be just a fling or a partner to be made just for the sake of some purpose. For example, if you are looking for a partner to go to a concert or event then
it is called an infatuated relationship and this is most likely to last for a really short period of time.
Empty Relationship
Empty relationships are the types of relationships that are just like their name and there are no such strong feelings for another person.
This relationship generally starts on a good note but they are not able to pass the test of time and situations.
In empty relationships, two people generally cling to each other because of one strong reason which can be kind of toxic but that also does not bring the feeling of love between the two.
It is generally seen between a couple who is married for a really long time but has lost the zeal to be together anymore.
The couple living in such a relationship also does not get involved in any sexual activities too.
Companionate Relationship
The companionate relationship is another one among the different types of relationships mentioned in this list.
This is generally seen as a relationship that surely has intimacy but no passion in it. It is basically living together just for the sake of it.
You can call it to be stronger than friendship and partners in it usually have spent a really long time together to get into this phase.
Long-term marriages make a perfect example of this where two people are together just to save their marriage.
However, a feeling of friendship, comfort, and affection is also seen between the couple living in this relationship which saves it from being toxic.
Fatuous Relationship
A fatuous relationship can be seen as a combination of passion and commitment but generally, intimacy is not there in such relationships. For example, these types of relationships can be understood well as the courtship period between engagement and wedding.
You can call this relationship the process or step towards going towards an intimate and.
The good thing about a fatuous relationship is that they ultimately lead to developing a feeling of intimacy between a couple.
However, if you are still not able to find the right intimacy then you should better move on from it. Because ultimately it becomes totally toxic to live with one another without any feelings.
Open Relationship
Open relationships are kind of taboo to talk about but there are people living in such relationship types and somewhere they are happy too.
Open relationships are the ones where two people are in a committed relationship but they can also get engaged in sexual encounters with other people too.
This kind of relationship is usually seen in modern-day scenarios or between two people who are forced to have a relationship with each other and have mutually decided over this.
It is basically like an agreement between two people who are willing to explore the idea of sex with multiple partners without even feeling like they are cheating on anyone. However, this is a subject less talked about till now.
Sacrificial Relationship
You can call such types of relationships as the worst form of unconditional love. No matter how much you try but this kind of relationship ultimately results in fatal repercussions.
I think people in such relationships are nice individually but they are not perfect for each other.
And in order to match the standards and lifestyle of the partner, one person starts to make various sacrifices and change their lifestyle completely without even liking it.
Things take ugly turns when your partner does not acknowledge this at all but I think you cannot blame them for this.
These relationships generally turn into toxic relationships with verbal fights and even physical ones at the end.
Trophy Relationship
I think Trophy relationships are what kind of relationship which clearly displays the reality of modern world dating standards.
Everything about this relationship is superficial and two people just pretend to be with each other just because they look good with each other.
The term Gold Digger is referred to the partners in this relationship because they are always after some materialistic favor from each other.
I am not questioning the love in this relationship but the foundation and basic values are totally broken or kind of missing.
Your partner is going to stay with you only when you have enough money to please them and it won’t take them a second to leave once you go out of cash.
Toxic Relationship
Toxic relationships are the worst type of relationship and one must not remain in it for a longer duration otherwise.
it results in physically hurting yourself or going into depression. Toxic relationships are totally a strict No and you should take the right step to get out of it.
These relationships might seem completely normal from the outside but are actually suffocating and build up on a lot of negotiations and compromises from only one person.
Generally one of the partners forces another one to change themselves and their lifestyle according to their own.
This can also lead to physical abuse or some extreme step too if you do not leave your partner at right time.
Long Distance Relationship
Clear as day with its name, long-distance relationships are the ones that are the most talked about and have their own perks and disadvantages.
These relationships mostly start on a casual note with several dates but as time passes situations or work commitments force them to shift to other places.
It can be about living in different cities in the same country or about living in totally different countries with varying time zones.
Generally, people in a long-distance relationship are seen as very committed people as they face the test of time.
and different time zones, busy schedules, and a lot more but still strive to remain together until they finally get married.
Conclusion
There is always that factor apart from love and compatibility which keeps two people together in a relationship and this is what defines the types of relationships too.
Check out these options given above and try to make out which is the one shared by you with your partner and try to work on it to make it pleasant for both of you.
