What are transitional relationships: superficial and 'necessary' to heal emotional wounds?

After a breakup, it's not unusual for someone to appear on the grieving journey who can help us heal the pain , fill the void, and navigate those turbulent times more smoothly. However, in transitioning relationships, countless circumstances come together that can make them beneficial or complicated, depending on one's own and others' expectations.

In theory, what are known as transitional relationships in psychology serve the purpose of helping the grieving person move past stages , gradually forgetting the relationship and making way for a new emotional situation. The problem in these cases is that we're acting from a place of confusion, and also that the "shivering" person we know and in whom we take refuge could be creating expectations that will again generate emotional conflict later.

Post-breakup sadness and rebound relationships

Any romantic relationship has countless facets, as it depends on countless circumstances surrounding both partners. When a breakup occurs, we can't control the feelings of emptiness and frustration , nor can we avoid the same loops of thinking we'd like to continue in. Or wonder why it happened to us...

Within the natural process, according to psychology, we must learn to adapt to the abrupt change that has occurred in our lives , and in this context, transitional relationships can be an effective way to navigate this change in a less painful way. The problem arises when we want to recreate in that relationship what we have lost... or, worse still, when the other person believes they are starting a "serious" relationship.

When we're emotionally wounded, it's very difficult to keep a cool head, thinking it's something superficial , has an expiration date, and is merely a temporary relationship to take refuge from the pain. Deep down, in a way, it's a deception of ourselves, a form of manipulation to fill the void.

3 Ways to Approach Transitioning Relationships Honestly

Since there's a very real possibility that transitional relationships can be a form of manipulation for our own benefit, and the source of renewed suffering in the medium term (unless we're clear that it's something superficial and "necessary" to repair the damage suffered), experts recommend being clear about three points after a breakup.

First, it's important to understand that these relationships aren't a permanent solution, but rather a pleasant way to experiment with our personal rediscovery . The goal is to find harmony and calm. Next, we must avoid falling into the trap of unconsciously reproducing the same patterns from our previous relationship, which is very common.

Finally, it's key to understand that this is a relationship with an expiration date, a moment of transition that fulfills a mission and then must move on. To achieve this, you have to be honest with the other person and not foster false expectations. These types of relationships shouldn't be a substitution of one person for another, but rather a way to advance in our own understanding.