Interesting Psychology Team
Complete vs. Empty
Your emotions are the most helpful guide in determining whether your love is real or not. A truly loving relationship that is built on healthy communication and genuine connection will bring about a sense of peace and wholeness.
Fake love is always accompanied by an empty feeling, no matter how much time you spend together. Relationships that lack a meaningful foundation are doomed to fail. If you’re in one, you’ll always be wanting more.
Respected vs. Taken for Granted
A genuine relationship is also built on mutual respect. In a healthy partnership, there is no room for disrespect, whether it regards decision-making, planning for the future, or even simple opinions. Both partners are encouraging and supportive, even if they don’t completely understand their significant other’s desires. What matters most is the other person’s happiness, and the idea of neglecting each other’s aspirations isn’t appealing.
In contrast, a relationship built on fake love always involves one or both people taking their partner for granted. Their disrespect may be disguised as humor or playfulness, but if someone treats your dreams like a joke, then they don’t respect you. This behavior is a clear sign that your relationship is unhealthy, because it indicates that your emotions are not important to your partner.
Hopeful vs. Unplanned
Another way to tell the difference between a healthy and unsustainable relationship is whether or not your plans for the future align. True lovers plan their future together and ensure that their vision works for both of them. Even when they fight and struggle (which is normal for a healthy relationship), they are secure in knowing that they’ll come out on the other side together.
In a healthy relationship, both partners put in equal effort, provide stability, and cultivate a hopeful future. Unless your relationship is new, an unplanned future or plan that doesn’t include both people, is a sign that your love isn’t true. Fake lovers will give up easily on the relationship, since they never expected it to last in the first place.
Intent vs. Neglect
If your relationship is based on true love, you love each other intentionally. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean you intend on falling in love, but that once you do, you live your life with the intention to continue and grow that love. Think of it as a promise or a commitment.
While fake love also involves making promises, it doesn’t always deliver on them. Unloving relationships lack commitment and breed neglect. Characterized by broken promises and hollow reassurances, fake love disappoints.
Stronger vs. Weaker
Real love stands the test of time. It may change through the years, but it doesn’t fade away. The roots of real love only grow stronger and deeper as both partners build trust, navigate life, and make compromises together.
Fake love, on the other hand, thrives on a heat that can’t last. Instead of establishing an emotional connection, both people may prioritize physical things. Built on a novel experience or excitement, fake love collapses when things simmer down.
The Main Takeaway
If you find yourself wondering if your relationship is healthy or not, it’s time to take a closer look at things. While it is normal to have occasional doubts, bicker, and disagree with your significant other, if your relationship lacks communication, trust, accountability, or respect, the foundation of your relationship is not strong enough to last.
Have you ever experienced fake love? How did you find out? What were some of the signs?
Let us know in the comments below.
