6 Common Long Distance Relationship Problems and their Solutions

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Every person at one point in their lives will be able to experience a long-distance relationship, but if you are one of the few people who won’t, you are lucky! Of course, it is not easy being in a relationship, let alone a long-distance one where you and your partner are a thousand miles apart, but if you are with the right person, then chances are it will not be difficult.

Every relationship has its ups and downs; it is not all rainbows and butterflies. It is especially difficult to mend relationship problems if you and your boyfriend or girlfriend have distance in between, but never fret! As you read below, you will know that these “downs” in your relationships are very common, and there are solutions to them.

Here are six common problems in long-distance relationships and their solutions:

6 Common Long Distance Relationship Problems and their Solutions Video

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6 Common Long Distance Relationship Problems and their Solutions

1. Miscommunication
The number one breaker of long-distance relationships: miscommunication. You cannot have less of it, nor you can have more of it. Communication must be balanced and without it, your relationship is destined to doom. Sometimes, you will feel like you and your partner are not talking enough or the opposite of that, with your partner hitting your phone up every minute – both are not good indicators of a healthy relationship.

Your partner is your confidante, so you should tell him or her the way you feel. Do not be afraid and do not bottle up your feelings because if he or she really loves you, then he or she will understand. If you are not comfortable with your partner hanging out with a particular person, do not hesitate to relate that to him or her. If your partner is now willing to share his or her problems with you because he or she doesn’t want to bother you, then make your partner feel that you are open to helping.

Balance is critical; that is why to avoid miscommunication, you and your partner should properly talk with each other. You need not talk with each other every minute of every day because the most important thing is that when you talk, you can relay your feelings and problems and talk about them in the open instead of keeping them to yourself. Remember, it is important to have said it than not have said it and regret it later.

ALSO READ: 8 Ways to Solve Communication Problems in Your Relationship

2. Jealousy
The green-eyed monster is present in every relationship. It resides in the heart and sees the world through the person’s eyes. It is entirely normal to feel the green-eyed monster, also known as jealousy, inside you. Jealousy is also a pretty common problem in any relationship, whether long-distance or not.

The green-eyed monster spares no one, whether the cute secretary your boyfriend works with or the nerdy classmate your girlfriend is in partnership with, for a project. It is irrational, clingy, and more importantly, it can take over your whole body. If you keep feeding your jealousy, then there is a very high chance that it will take over your thinking and make you do irrational things like calling your partner every hour or forbidding him or her to go out with anyone at all.

Never give in to the green-eyed monster. If there is no reason for you to be jealous, then do not be jealous! Trust your partner enough to not think about made-up issues in your mind. If you pick at every detail like “Why did she text him if he has the reports?” or “Why is he doing that project with her?” then you will never be able to rest. Do not give motives to people who don’t have them. The important thing to do to ward off the green-eyed monster is not to feed it.

ALSO READ: 12 Ways to Overcome Jealousy in a Relationship

3. Loneliness
Loneliness is a dear old friend who comes by every once in a while, but loneliness is sometimes not very welcome in long-distance relationships. There will be times when loneliness will visit you, but this is a very common thing to feel. Loneliness is there because your partner is not with you. If you look at the positive side, you may feel lonely because you long for the love you feel when your partner is there with you.

There can be many causes of loneliness. It may be because you and your partner live in different time zones; therefore, when he or she is asleep, you are wide awake and having breakfast. It may also be because of busy work schedules because even if you two are in a relationship, you are still two different people, or it can even be one of the most straightforward reasons – you miss your partner.

The cure for loneliness is to place daily reminders around the house of your partner. For example, you can hang picture frames of special occasions; you can display the quilt blanket he or she gave to you last Christmas, or you can reread the love letters your partner sent you! Keep in mind that even if your partner is not physically there, you can feel his or her love through the souvenirs and gifts you have together.

4. Drifting apart
Some relationships have broken because the two people who used to be in love have “drifted apart”. The process of drifting apart is like a snowball rolling down the hill. At first, it starts small, and then it rolls down into one giant snowball ready to trash any relationship in its way.

It can something as small as returning your messages very late or not returning your messages at all, then progressing to canceled date plans or video chats, not picking up calls, and then suddenly your partner will just contact you and tell you about one of the most overused cliches in romance history: “It’s not you, it’s me” or “I think the distance between us made us drift apart.”

To avoid drifting apart, make sure that the foundation of your relationship is strong, meaning it was not built upon lies and mistrust, but the most important thing of all is to make sure that you know yourself. Most people in a relationship drift away because they have finally discovered who they are, and sometimes you are not part of their plans. So, before you dive into any relationship make sure that you and your partner are confident in your identity. Never look for a person who makes you feel complete because you should be complete before that person comes.

ALSO READ: How to Make a Long Distance Relationship Work: 12 Effective Ways

5. Time
Time is sometimes an unfair rival because it is something that you cannot fight against. Sometimes people in a long-distance relationship are so caught up in their own lives that they forget to spend time with their partners. Other people are so worked with their careers that they forget to make time in their busy schedules for their loved ones. This does not only happen to couples but also to families and friends, unfortunately.

Time is even a more difficult opponent if your partner lives continents away and you two are divided by different time zones. It can be quite a problem to keep up with communicating especially if you are at work the whole day and when you call your partner, he or she is already asleep. The lack of communicating may lead to mistrust and even to jealousy. Nobody would want to wake up the green-eyed monster.

One of the sure-fire ways to fight time is to schedule it. This may sound boring because it becomes a routine, but it works! Look for the perfect time slot for you and your partner to spend time with each other. If your boyfriend or girlfriend is only a few miles away, then take the time to visit him or her every other weekend or vice versa because there is no such thing as “no time” for the people you love.

6. Trust issues
It is very understandable for the distance to make you feel paranoid about your partner. There are cases when people are just starting their relationships out and are thrown into this whirlwind called life, ending up at different poles apart. They could not spend enough with each other to get to know each other and establish a stronger foundation of trust. There are even times when a person falls in love with someone he or she met online. The lack of connections and the growing numbers between two people can cause mistrust.

The only way to overcome this is to leap of faith. Love is a gamble and you have to roll the dice. There is no sure way to know if you can trust anyone. Do not hound your partner all the time. Give him or her the personal space needed because the last thing you would want to make him or her feel is like a trapped animal. The only thing or reminder that you need to tell yourself is that you believe in the love you share with your partner, which is enough for you to trust him or her.

ALSO READ: 11 Ways to Resolve Trust Issues in a Relationship

Love is tough. It takes a lot of commitment and hard work to make it fulfilling. It is not all smiles and dates all the time. There will be times when you and your partner will fight and even hate each other for petty reasons. But you should never give up on the people you love. Even when your partner is the most difficult to love, you choose to love him or her despite the worst moments. The most important thing to remember is that this happens to every relationship and that in every problem you encounter, there is always a solution!

Online courses recommended for you:

• Relationship Coaching: Transform Problems into Growth & Love:
  Develop true love & greater intimacy & a relationship growth mindset, stop destructive conflicts, find meaning & purpose.
• Love & Connection: The Science of Successful Relationships:
  This course will show you how to examine the unknown path that you’ll travel with your spouse, and carefully evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your relationship.

Books recommended for you:

The Truth About Men: What Men and Women Need to Know

I Hear You: The Surprisingly Simple Skill Behind Extraordinary Relationships

The 5 Love Languages for Men: Tools for Making a Good Relationship Great

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ALSO READ:

25 Pieces of Advice Couples in a Long Distance Relationship Should Know

16 Ways To Solve Relationship Problems without Breaking up

How to Discuss Relationship Problems without Fighting

Carisha Yabora

Carisha lives for writing and painting. When she’s not doing either of the two, she is most likely to be seen petting stray dogs or commuting in high fashion boots.