The importance of platonic love
Platonic love refers to the intense emotional connection that develops in platonic relationships.
What is platonic love?
Though often equated with friendship, platonic relationships expand far beyond friendship and encapsulate a deep bond without sexual and romantic aspects. Platonic love refers to the intense emotional connection that develops in platonic relationships. Platonic relationships can include variety of relationships including, friendships, community members, family, coworkers and classmates, roommates, and many others. Familial love is a specific type of platonic love.
Friendship vs platonic love
Both friendship and platonic relationships tend to have emotional connections. However, when people experience platonic love, they also experience deeper and more intense emotional bonds with one another. Platonic relationships also tend to be based on mutual trust and shared interests whereas friendships tend to be based on mutual respect and support. Friendships can become platonic relationships and develop platonic love.
Benefits of platonic love
There are many benefits to platonic love. These include:
Emotional support
Community
Better moods
Decreased risk of health problems
Decreased feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression
Increased resilience
Thought provoking and engaging conversations
What to watch out for
Like, romantic relationships, there are things we need to watch out for and learn to navigate in platonic relationships. These include:
Jealousy and betrayal
Anxious attachment
Avoidant attachment
Ghosting
Unhealthy boundaries
Poor communication
Bidding
Conflict
It’s important to remember that relationship problems affect all relationships.
How to build platonic relationships
Building platonic relationships can be difficult, but it does not have to be. Here are some tips:
Surround yourself around people who share similar interests.
Show initiative in making connections, like asking someone to hang out.
Allow yourself to be vulnerable with others, and allow others to be vulnerable with you.
Get curious about the interests of others.
Make kind gestures that show you care about those special individuals in your life.
Celebrate special milestones.
Platonic breakups
Platonic breakups are the less talked about breakups, and while we often don’t think about them, platonic relationships do end. Many people share that they find it more difficult to overcome platonic breakups than their romantic or sexual ones. Going through these breakups can be very difficult, confusing, and isolating. It’s important to surround yourself with people you love.
Platonic date ideas
Some ideas to do with your platonic relationships include:
Having picnics
Going to museums
Taking an art class
Attending a concert
Taking cooking classes
Having game nights
Going thrifting
Going to a book store
Going on a nice dinner
Volunteering somewhere together