The Danger of Emotional One-Night Stands
There’s this spectrum of intimacy no one really talks about. It’s not an actual line with a scale of numbers, percentages, or names and yet I think we all know that certain relationships allow us to be more ourselves than others. It’s clear to all of us that in some relationships we can bear our souls and in others clothing in every sense of the word is critical. If we did have names for types of relationships on this invisible line, I can imagine there being the “Diet (keep-it-light) connection on one end of the spectrum and “I saw you naked (you know everything there is to know about me) on the other end. Somewhere in between these two categories there might be others like “Work friend I occasionally have dinner with and we talk only about safe topics” and “Running buddy who shares tips on speed”. But in this new age of disconnection, social media, and pandemic isolation there’s a new category creeping in quickly. The one I like to call— the “Emotional One-Night Stand”.
What is an “emotional one-night stand” you may be wondering? Well, I think it’s the equivalent of calling a hotline for support, or even striking up a chat online through a social media platform. There’s no commitment involved, no long-term emotional investment in any real way and it’s completely anonymous. And by the way I’m a huge advocate of crisis lines. They are so vital for those of us in dire need…
