What to Do If You Fall in Love with Your NSA

The rule of no strings attached sex is not to fall in love. You want a relationship where you can enjoy the benefits of a committed relationship without the downsides - without the actual commitment. That's what your NSA partner wants too.

But that doesn't mean the heart understands this. You may find yourself falling in love with your NSA, which can be extremely difficult and awkward as the relationship continues. What do you do if this happens?

There Should Be a Rule in Place

Before you start a no strings attached relationship, you should already have a rule in place for if this happens. After all, it's possible one or both of you find that you want something more in the future. There's nothing wrong with this happening, as long as you both agree on the next steps.

If you have a rule, follow that rule. For some, the rule is to break off the NSA relationship completely, so go through with it. For others, the rule is to talk about it to see if the other party feels the same way. If so, you can follow through with that.

Don't have the rule yet? This is where you'll need the following tips.

You'll Need to Be Honest

Many people try to hide their feelings. The problem is your feelings will lead to other emotions. As you feel the need for exclusivity, which your NSA won't give, you end up getting jealous and resentful. While you don't want your emotions to rule you, they do play a part in your actions.

The best thing you can do is be honest with your partner about your feelings. You can both decide whether you should separate or continue this relationship. You may find your partner has the same feelings for you and wants to try a committed relationship instead of a NSA one.

And this isn't just about being honest with your partner. You'll also need to be honest with yourself. If you continued the relationship with these feelings, can you definitely prevent them from controlling everything you do. Will you avoid the jealousy when your NSA starts a relationship with someone else? Will you be able to avoid the fear of abandonment? What about jealousy over just another NSA relationship?

Don't Pressure Your NSA

Your partner isn't necessarily going to have the same feelings as you. This is okay! There's no need to force your partner to make a decision right now. What you'll need to do is decide on whether you can wait; can you continue the no strings attached sex while feeling like you're falling in love? Are you comfortable knowing that your partner's feelings aren't quite the same?

If you're not, then you need to walk away. Wait until your partner is ready - if that will ever become the case. If you are happy with it all, then continue the relationship the way it is for now.

Make sure you're both clear on the next steps. If your feelings deepen, you need to agree between you what you're going to do and whether it's worth continuing this NSA partnership.