My Dear Lover,

Today I want to share with you the facts, and also my advice about something you probably ask yourself a lot of times:

"Should" I Date Others During My Long Distance Relationship?

Well, first I will give you some facts (scientific facts!) and then I will give my personal advice to you.

Dr. Gregory Guldner his the leading authority on long distance

relationships and the author of the most comprehensive study of

long distance relationships ever completed, "Long Distance Relationships: The Complete Guide".

He is is a graduate of Stanford Medical School and Purdue University's Clinical Psychology Program and he combines his

scientific expertise,interviews with hundreds of couples in

long distance relationships and his own personal experience into this comprehensive book.

Ok, now that you know who Dr. Gregory Guldner is, I will give you the scientific facts about Dating Others During an LDR.

Dr. Gregory Guldner made 2 studies, and here are his results:

6-month longitudinal study:

• 30% of couples who dated others broke up

• 27% of couples who did not broke up

• 70% of couples who did not discuss this issue broke up.

Cross sectional study:

• 15% of those who dated others survived LDR

• 48% of those who didn't survived LDR

Humm, to much scientific! you will say.

Ok, let me explain to you the meaning of those numbers:

In the first study: the 6-month longitudinal study we can see that:

The Long Distance Relationship couples that dated others, in a

period of 6 months, 30% of them broke up.

In the Long Distance Relationship couples that did not dated

others, in a period of 6 months, 27% of them broke up.

And notice this, 70% of couples who did not discuss this issue

broke up!

In the second study: "Cross sectional study", the relationships

that at one point were long distance (like the one you and me are

living now), but that now are reunited (the thing you and me want

more) as planned, we can see that:

Only 15% of those who dated others survived LDR and 48% of those

who didn't survived LDR.

The conclusion we can take is that for "kind of" short periods of

time, like six months, it doesn't make to much difference for the

success of the Long Distance Relationship, to date others.

What makes the difference here is not being clear and honest

with the Long Distance Partner, 70% of couples who did not discuss this issue broke up!

Now, for long periods of time, dating others is very very danger

for the success of your Long Distance Relationship! Only 15% survived LDR!

But, what makes you "want" to date others while you are in your Long Distance Relationship?

Is the lake of sex? Is because you like to feel close with another person?

Weel Long Distance Relationships can be sexually satisfying

as Close Relationships!

What you need to do is to know how to "make love" at telephone

or to write erotic letters, or send erotic pictures or videos to

your beloved.

Now about my own experience?

Do you think that because I am in a Long Distance Relationship I don't feel sexually attracted by others? Of course I do!

But do I consider the idea of me dating others while I am in my

Long Distance Relationships?

No, no, no. Let me tell you something. At my job there is a man,

that I don't know to explain this, but between me and him there is such a strong sexual chemistry.

And believe me, between me and my Long Distance Partner, there is

also a strong sexual chemistry, but I think if I made sex with that man from my job, I guess I would be something even stronger than I have with my Long Distance Partner.

But do you think that will ever make sex with that man from my job?

Never!

First I really love with all my heart my Long Distance Partner, he is without any doubt the "true love" of my life. And a relationship is much more than sex, and you also now that very well!

Second I don't feel that I have sexual insatisfaction in my Long

Distance Relationship.

I do use what I "learn" from several resources that you can find in internet, and that you can find in my website.

Now, with this, I am not saying that I agree or disagree with the

ones that make the choice of Dating Others while they are in a Long Distance Relationship.

It's your choice, and now, you have also the numbers of the scientific study of Dr. Gregory Guldner and also my advice and my experience.

Don't measure the distance, measure the Love, Maria Madeira.