Are Online Relationships Worth Investing in?

It is amazing how much time and emotional energy you can invest in an online relationship and you have to wonder, is it really worth it? Of course, different people want different things from their online relationships. For some individuals, connecting online is a precursor to meeting offline and building a proper, real-life relationship. Other individuals believe they get enough fulfilment from online relationships and seem to live their whole lives on the Internet. This definitely seems less healthy in that no matter how strong a relationship can seem online, you don’t really know who you’re talking to or if you’re likely to have any real-life chemistry.

The trouble is that no matter how honest you are about yourself, it is obviously easier to highlight certain character traits and ignore others, even if it is at unconscious level. When you’re online, you may feel that you can tell the other person anything and everything, and do so, but this tends not to be the case when you meet for real. Just because you ‘click’ online does not mean that there will be the same chemistry when you meet face-to-face and this can ultimately lead to disappointment, especially if you have been exchanging emails and chatting via instant messenger for a long time. Of course, this isn’t going to be a problem if you never intend to meet.

However, you have to bear in mind that whilst you may be happy keeping a relationship online, exchanging friendly messages and perhaps flirting a little, the other person may want something more. It is easy to get caught up in the moment of finding someone who really seems to understand you and who appears to have a similar outlook on the world and the same kind of interests, but this sort of relationship is not the same as one where you see each other every day and interact in person. Online relationships are not a waste of time if you feel you get something out of them. If you enjoy the companionship you get, then who cares if it is only online?

After all, it isn’t always practical to meet. If you live hundreds of miles away, it isn’t as easy as just arranging to have a quick coffee, and so you can find yourself getting to know someone really well online and growing closer, despite the distance. At the end of the day, though, it is only an online relationship and there are those who will try to belittle it and emphasise how the person you think you’re really close to could in fact be an imposter. Indeed, it is worth bearing in mind that not everyone is who they say they are online, but that shouldn’t stop you using the Internet to connect with people and from building online relationships. It may not be healthy to live your life completely online, but there is nothing wrong with online relationships if they make you happy.