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Have you ever asked, "what is a platonic relationship?" Then this post is for you.

I wrote articles about all kinds of relationships. Some have been featured in HelloGiggles. As a relationship expert, I will explain the meaning of a platonic relationship. All you need to know and understand about it.

Let's get started!

Contents

What Is It - #What-Is -It

What Is It

Platonic vs Romantic - #Platonic-vs-Romantic

Platonic vs Romantic

Types - #Types

Types

Ways - #Ways

Ways

FAQs - #FAQs

FAQs

More Relationship Tips - #More-Relationship-Tips

More Relationship Tips

What Is A Platonic Relationship?

When we hear the word 'relationship,' we first think of a romantic relationship between a man and a woman. A platonic relationship exists when two persons feel a special bond with each other without the presence of romance. Closeness, respect, honesty, and acceptance are the components of platonic love. It could be with the same or opposite sex.

Platonic Relationship vs. Romantic Relationship

The main difference between a platonic and a romantic relationship is the presence of sexual or physical intimacy. A platonic relationship does not involve a physical or sexual desire for each other. In contrast, a romantic relationship involves physical and sexual intimacy between two persons.

3 Types Of Platonic Relationships

You can have a platonic relationship with anyone of the same or opposite gender. That is why we have types of platonic relationships, and more than likely, you can relate to one of these.

#1: Bromance

Bromance is a close and non-sexual relationship between two guys. It is normal for a man to feel admiration for another man in a non-romantic way. You tend to develop a close friendship and trust with a male friend who shares the same interest. It is a good thing that there is this person who accepts and understands you the way you are.

#2: Womance

It is common for women to have female friends like a sisterhood. Womance is a close and non-romantic relationship between two women. Sometimes, there are things that we would like to talk about or do with another woman. It could be because we feel that close bond.

#3: Work Spouse

A work spouse is someone of the opposite sex at work with whom you share a close but non-romantic connection. You feel comfortable around this person. You depend on each other and make a good team because you support each other.

5 Ways To Make Platonic Relationship Work

A platonic relationship requires effort to make it work. No worries, we got you covered on that because we know how to make it work.

#1: Maintain healthy boundaries.

Ensuring that you are both on the same page prevents someone from being led on or hurt emotionally. Maintain healthy boundaries so you'll know how to act and behave when you are together.

#2: Be honest about your feelings.

Like in all relationships, Honesty is one of the most important parts of it. Being honest creates a strong bond between two persons. They must be able to communicate and discuss their feelings openly.

#3: Give each other personal space.

Having personal space is as important as spending time together in a relationship. You have to give your platonic friend their personal space. It enables them to spend time and focus on themselves and important things.

Moreover, this also refers to a social distance. make sure that you do not invade each other's personal space. Being too physically close might give the wrong impression of being together romantically.

#4: Be mindful of what you say and do.

In a platonic relationship, you must be mindful of what you say or do as if your romantic partner were there. There is a clear difference between your platonic friend and your romantic partner.

#5: Tell your partner about your friend.

Tell your partner about your friend to prevent the start of jealousy or insecurity. Inform your partner of the nature of your platonic relationship. Also, make sure that they understand its importance to you. Better yet, introduce them to establish mutual trust.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Now I understand that there might be some questions that are bogging you. I have provided answers to the commonly asked questions about platonic relationships.

Do platonic sparks exist?

Yes, they do. Like a romantic spark, a platonic spark can form between you and another person, creating a magnetic attraction that makes you want to get closer. It can appear for anyone and everyone, unlike that special attraction only a romantic spark can bring.

What is a platonic spark?

A platonic spark is the inexplicable but compelling feeling of wanting to form a platonic relationship with another person. It starts as wishing to develop a platonic relationship with the other person, often for unexplained reasons, at least initially. However, the platonic spark can eventually lead to a romantic spark later on as the relationship progresses.

How do you know when there's a platonic spark?

A platonic spark often happens after you meet someone new and hasn't yet formed a connection with them. It can start as a noticeable interest in them - you want to get to know them, become their friend, etc. The biggest sign there's a platonic spark between you and them is that if asked why you want to form a relationship with them, there's no immediate answer you can provide.

Suppose there's that inexplicable feeling you want to start a platonic relationship with another person, and there's little reason you should. In that case, you may be under the influence of a platonic spark.

Platonic sparks can be a sudden but welcome way of forming a casual and platonic relationship with others. If your feelings for someone you've just met are strong enough to want to deepen it, then maybe you're feeling the spark too.

Is it really possible for a man and woman to just be friends?

There may be different answers to this question, but yes, a man and a woman can be just friends. Platonic relationships exist between opposite sex, but you need to have clear boundaries to maintain this healthy platonic friendship. If you have doubts about your feelings, read through the article about how do you know you love someone and find out if you are starting to have romantic feelings toward this close friend.

More Relationship Tips

If you find yourself in a different kind of relationship. Check out these articles we have to guide you.

  1. Some people prefer to be involved in more than one romantic relationship. Read through do open relationships work and find out if it suits you.
  2. Know where you stand and learn about the relationship stages.
  3. Look for signs you're in a toxic relationship and figure out if it's time to let go before it's too late.

In Conclusion

Now that we have reached the end, we have answered the question, what is a platonic relationship?

People are capable of feeling different emotions on all levels. Honesty, acceptance, understanding, and intimacy are needed to maintain a healthy platonic friendship.