Heartbreaks can be terrible, and since humans have the universal need for love and affection, rebound relationships are one of the ways of adapting – they begin before one completely heals from a heartbreak whether from a breakup or divorce.
Rebound relationships are especially common amongst persons that were in a long-term relationship and can’t bear to be alone in the time after the breakup. So, they get into a new one with the main or significant purpose being to help them get over the heartbreak.
How long do they last?
As much as we would love to give a figure, matters of the heart unfold in different ways and such figures do not exist. Rebound relationships can last long if one stays committed to it and finds their new relationship worth the effort.
The short-term ones are so for obvious reasons. They were started without getting over the last relationship. In such relationships, the rebounder doesn’t get to connect with their new partner properly because of the ghost of the past relationship.
Since we have established the fact that rebound relationships last for a variable length of time, we will be sharing characteristics of ones that are short-term and long-term.
Short-term rebounds
These are intensely passionate and borne out of the need to fill the void created by the last relationship. The rebounder tends to find someone to take away the hurt caused by their ex, and they typically find the new partner very fast.
The relationship then proceeds in an emotionally draining and intense way to try to block out memories of the ex. As much as the rebounder will try to block out memories of their ex, they will unconsciously mention that ex every now and then in anger and compare their new partner to their ex.
When the rebounder gets over the last relationship, they leave the rebound relationship because all they needed to gain from it was to heal their heart.
Long-term rebounds
These relationships just like the short-term ones start within a short period of the last breakup without proper healing. However, they differ from the short-term ones in that the rebounder then builds a genuine connection with the reboundee. What started as a rebound relationship then transitions into a proper loving one, which begins occurring as a result of a commitment.
Are rebound relationships bad?
We wouldn’t say they’re entirely bad, though the fact that the reboundee may not know that they are in a rebound relationship is a major con.
The pros are in the fact that the rebounder gets to heal faster from the heartbreak, and also gains/restores a higher level of confidence.
Rebound relationship could be great and not so great. The outcome of one is greatly dependent on the efforts put into it by the rebounder.