How do the boyfriends of sp's and mpa's emotionally handle their woman being in the company of other men? Does it bother these men? Does the job cause relationship problems?
I would imagine that part of the reason they are able to manage whatever uncomfortable emotions arise is connected to the fact that they don't regard their partner as "their woman." :wink:
Jealousy and insecurity are normal emotions that occur in all types of relationships, whether they are monogamous marriages, polyamorous relationships, or even client/provider relationships. I've had several clients confess to me that they feel jealous about my interactions with other men. They often find these feelings very confusing.
To get back to your question, though - How does anyone handle jealousy? How does anyone handle insecurity? The answer, of course, is in a wide variety of ways. Some men in monogamous relationships are constantly paranoid about being cheated on, while others are confident that the boundaries of their relationship will be respected. Some people will do the responsible thing and take steps to figure out how to cope with uncomfortable emotions in a mature way, while others will not.
It can be challenging, but not impossible to manage jealousy, and I think that statement applies to ALL types of relationships.
Thanks for bringing up the topic. I know it's been discussed before, but it's one I find particularly fascinating!
- Holly -