What is a NSA relationship and is it the right type for you?
Modern-day relationships are significantly different than those from decades ago. Traditionally, courtship looked a lot like a revered custom as compared to today, when nobody seems to owe anyone or anything. The sexual revolution has led to wide-ranging options such as open relationships, NSA relationship arrangements, and friends with benefits.
Source: UGC
A modern-day NSA relationship is acceptable to certain people and totally unacceptable to others. The proponents of the no-strings-attached fling praise the arrangement for its lack of obligations associated with traditional relationships while those against it label the entire idea as immoral. What does NSA mean, and is it right for you?
What does NSA stand for?
The NSA acronym stands for ‘no strings attached.’ What does no strings attached mean? To define NSA, one must look at the basics of a conventional relationship involving sex, communication, feelings, and other obligations.
In NSA dating, those involved are only in the fling for the sole purpose of physical pleasure without any of the obligations involved in traditional dating. In an ideal NSA arrangement, partners do not develop feelings towards each other.
Can NSA relationships work?
Generally, NSA relationships work for people who are at a great place in their social life, work-life, and personal life and all that is missing is sex.
Source: UGC
This kind of obligation-free fling is surprisingly common in modern society. However, for it to work, those involved must adhere to a set of rules. These include:
1. Knowing the difference between NSA and FWB
Before getting into a no-strings-attached arrangement, you must be well aware of the differences between this and the friends-with-benefits relationship. The latter implies that besides the casual sex, the two of you are also friends.
In a no-strings-attached fling, nobody owes the other any kind of emotional support, unlike in FWB.
2. Never forgetting to use protection
No-strings-attached relationships are solely based on sexual intimacy. It is, therefore, common sense that those involved should prioritize their health by always using protection. Since an NSA relationship does not follow the rules of monogamy, no partner is limited in regard to the number of people they can sleep with.
The type of protection to use will vary from one person to the other. Unfortunately, this is one of the NSA rules that people break and end up with infections or unwanted pregnancies.
3. Let it go the moment you develop feelings
NSA means that those involved cannot let jealousy and affection affect their sexual life. When you begin to check the other person’s social media feed to know where they are, it is time to let go of the relationship.
Arrangements that involve casual sex are not everyone’s cup of tea, and as much as those involved might want to avoid the emotions involved, it is often easier said than done.
4. Have and respect boundaries
Boundaries are crucial in NSA arrangements. They help protect both partners from developing feelings for each other, which, in turn, ensures that nobody gets hurt once the arrangement has run its course.
Such boundaries could involve only texting about hooking up, avoiding any type of random messages, and keeping it strictly fun. Additionally, create clear guidelines on how to behave in the presence of other people.
The same applies to spending time together after hooking up. The person visiting has a predetermined timeframe to leave. This helps avoid conversations that are not related to physical intimacy.
5. Have the most fun you can
Is fun not the main thing that NSA stands for? This is the one relationship where partners can have as much fun as they please without being bothered by other aspects of conventional relationships.
Source: UGC
The whole point of these types of flings is to drown out the world outside and focus on getting the most pleasing experience.
6. Be selfish
Each partner has every right to put their needs above the other person’s. In conventional relationships, each partner is usually advised to keep the needs of the other person in mind.
In an NSA relationship, however, every person is their own biggest priority.
7. Bring your fantasies to life
It is common for people to harbour somewhat weird sexual fantasies. In conventional settings, one might be afraid that such fantasies could destroy an entire relationship.
In a no-strings-attached arrangement, however, you have the freedom to try out anything you have ever dreamt of without worrying about the repercussions. The obligation-free nature of an NSA relationship allows each partner to be completely open-minded, curious, wild, and spontaneous.
8. Always go home
This is probably the most important no-commitment dating rule. After hooking up, the one visiting must pick up their clothes, get dressed, and go home. Do not be tempted to spend time talking or cuddling.
The problem with spending time together after casual sex is that you begin to talk about your personal lives. When this happens, both of you begin to know each other on a deeper level, and inevitably, feelings begin to develop.
To avoid this, both partners must learn to separate their personal lives with their sex life.
9. Do not let the other person know too much about you
Regardless of how tempting it may be, do not tell the other person much about you. This is because the nature of an NSA relationship means that it will probably not last very long. You certainly do not want someone who will not be around for long knowing your secrets.
Additionally, talking about the things that scare you or make you happy is one step in crossing over to a conventional relationship. While people in a no-strings-attached relationship want an arrangement with all the fun and none of the emotions, the line between this and a traditional relationship is surprisingly thin.
10. You can say no
Your partner does not owe you anything, and neither do you. You do not have to be available for a hook up whenever they want so feel free to say no if you are just not up for it.
Source: UGC
If your partner gets angry, well, that is their problem since they are not allowed to be controlling and possessive. You will not feel any guilt whatsoever for failing to live up to the other person’s expectations.
11. Your partner is not your property
Do not get jealous or mad when you see your partner with another person at a café. The basic no strings attached meaning implies that each person is free to hook up with whomever they please, whenever they please.
If you find yourself getting jealous, maybe it is time to move on before it gets worse
12. Have a backup plan
Your partner could easily find a new person to replace you. Any no-strings-attached relationship could go south as quickly as it began. It is essential to have a backup plan in case this ever happens.
This is also true if your partner begins to develop feelings for you that point towards a serious relationship. If this happens, scout the NSA dating sites to see what options you have out there. Remember, you come first, everyone else second.
What are the pros and cons of an NSA relationship?
No-strings-attached flings have various benefits and downsides as compared to traditional relationships.
Pros
Here are some of the main advantages of a no-strings-attached fling.
Total lack of commitment
In a traditional relationship, the lack of commitment is a significant problem. In an NSA arrangement, however, both partners get to enjoy physical intimacy with each other without a sense of commitment or obligation.
Source: UGC
This is especially ideal for those who are not ready to be tied down by responsibilities and commitments. You do not have to provide any kind of emotional support or guidance.
You can pursue various options
NSA flings give those involved the freedom to avoid monogamy. Each person in the relationship can keep their dating options open and pursue whoever they want without feeling guilty.
It can be lots of fun
Partners in no-strings-attached flings enjoy the excitement and thrill involved in a purely physical connection. Keeping things light allows both partners to enjoy intimacy while avoiding issues of mistrust, communication, and other possible concerns that arise in conventional relationships.
Cons
NSA flings are not for everyone. Here are some of the downsides to this casual relationship.
Unreciprocated feelings
One or both partners in an NSA arrangement will likely develop feelings for each other. In the case of one partner, developing feelings for someone who does not feel the same way can be emotionally draining.
This means that engaging in a no-strings-attached fling can potentially lead a person to heartache.
It prevents one from pursuing a serious relationship
NSA arrangements often hinder people from pursuing serious conventional relationships. By engaging in casual endeavours, you could be making yourself unavailable for people who can offer meaningful and deep connections.
Any time you spend with the wrong person keeps you from the right one.
Risking physical and emotional health
It is quite possible to end up feeling hurt, used, and unimportant at the end of an NSA relationship. While the arrangement is a lot of fun at the beginning, it lacks the commitment and safety associated with traditional setups.
Source: UGC
Besides the emotional pain, it is also very easy for people in these flings to get sexually transmitted infections. This is due to the large number of people involved in casual hookups.
What is the difference between FWB and NSA?
An FWB (friends with benefits) arrangement is similar to a no-strings-attached fling except for the fact that the former involves two people who are friends. The aspect of friendship introduces feelings into an FWB relationship which are otherwise lacking in NSA.
A friends-with-benefits relationship is essentially an NSA arrangement with a friend. Both relationships have no long-term commitment from both parties.
Is an NSA relationship right for you?
This type of commitment-free relationship is not for everyone. A no-strings-attached fling will suit you if:
You are naturally busy and cannot be emotionally invested
If you are a career-oriented person, you may not have sufficient free time to invest yourself emotionally in someone else. That does not mean that your love life should suffer.
With an NSA arrangement, you get all the perks of a physically intimate conventional relationship without worrying about meeting your partner’s parents, kids, or even dating.
It will also be way easier for you to break off a no-strings-attached arrangement as compared to a traditional one.
You want an avenue to discover more about your sexuality
If you are the kind of person who is open to exploring the physical side of your sexuality without touching on the emotional side, then a no-strings-attached arrangement would be ideal for you.
Source: UGC
Since every partner in an NSA arrangement is different, you avoid the pitfall of conventional relationships where you fall in love with someone yet you are sexually incompatible.
You are open-minded and not jealous
While everybody gets a little bit jealous at times, an NSA fling will not work for a person who is overly protective and jealous. However, if you are open-minded about exploring new possibilities, then a no-strings-attached fling may just work for you.
How do I start an NSA relationship?
If you have deeply evaluated the NSA meaning and its implications, and you still feel comfortable being part of such an arrangement, you can visit some sites specifically dedicated to that.
The dynamics of an NSA relationship are, without a doubt, fascinating. While these types of commitment-free arrangements are undoubtedly not for everyone, they seem to work perfectly for people suited for them.
Source: Legit.ng
