Are Online Relationships Good Or Bad

If you've 'met' someone online you may be wondering are online relationships good? For the most part, that depends on the exact nature of the relationship and how each of the people in the relationship feels about it.

Relationships are very personal and every person, and couple, to some degree make their own rules. Having said that though, most good relationships will have some common features.

For instance, it's important at an early stage for each of you to discuss what you want to get out of the relationship. Now, obviously, I'm not talking about pledging your undying love after you've just met someone, but as you get to know one another if the bond seems to be growing, would either, or both, of you like to eventually meet? Or would you be more comfortable just keeping things in the cyber world?

There is no right or wrong when it comes to that question, but it's important that you are both on the same page. Someone can get hurt if they feel the connection is strong enough to warrant actually meeting in person and the other person has no desire to take the relationship that far.

If one or the other of you is using your online relationship to 'cheat' on a real world partner, than it's not really good. Cheating is cheating and most people would define it as having an emotional connection, a romantic connection, with someone other than your partner. Even if the two of you never meet and never have a physical relationship, many would consider it cheating to have another romantic love besides your partner.

One of the biggest things everyone has to remember when they are involved in an online relationship of any kind is that you don't really know for sure who you're talking to. That 21 year old female college student from Kansas may actually be a 45 year old plumber from Pittsburgh. Yikes! It's hard to really form a bond with another person if you can't even be sure who they really are.

Online relationships allow you to fill in a lot of the blanks about a person, and more often than not you'll fill things in the way you would like them to be. This may be one of the biggest pitfalls of all when it comes to online relationships. Of course, if the two of you actually meet in person, you will overcome that obstacle. But if the two of you are content to leave things strictly online you have to remember that you can only get so close to someone when you can't ever be sure they are who they say they are.

Many people would argue that you can never really get to know another person, but if you've actually met them in person at least you know to some degree, if they are really who they say they are.

All in all the question: are online relationships good depends largely on you and what you're looking for in a relationship. The internet offers a great way to meet new people, just make sure that you are clear about what it is you are really looking for.