With the onset of the 21st century, along with its rigid pragmatism, the definitions of man-woman relationships have undergone a dizzying array of transformations. What used to be magnificent gestures and whirlwind romances that spoke about undying and unconditional love and believed in the roses, flowers, and chocolates kind of love saga has transitioned into a more realistic and self-centred perception nowadays. Especially with Gen Z, the tenure of a man-woman relationship has shortened to such an extent that sometimes the partners themselves cannot figure out what exactly had ignited the passion in them that had brought them together in the first place, and what actually went wrong that made them drift apart from each other. However, amidst all the toxicity and uncertainties that revolve around modern relationships, platonic relationships are the breathers.
Although the initial interpretations of spiritual connection or a union of a man and a woman in a completely nonsexual way were sneered at by society, the concept of platonic relationship gained more popularity in the modern era. As the broader implications of friendship started illuminating the narrow-minded gender stereotypes ingrained deeply into the minds of men and women, people started normalising the concept of friendship between a man and a woman just as a passionate relationship between two romantic partners. It can be said that what was initially ridiculed by society for being a farce and mockery of the inevitable carnal desires between a man and a woman, was soon replaced by the modern concept of close platonic friendship.
It cannot be denied that even today, many people believe that a man and a woman cannot be friends, thanks to the ridiculous ideas implanted in their minds by the outrageously unrealistic portrayals of romance in films or books. It is quite obvious that the depiction of a man or woman relationship which initially starts with a platonic bonding, but eventually succumbs to desire and a steamy romance reiterates the notion that a sexless bonding between a man and a woman is not possible. However, it might come as a surprise that these platonic bonds actually have a lot of mental health benefits.
Unconditional friendship
It takes a lot of deliberation to get into a relationship, but very little effort to forge friendships that last for life. An embrace from a lover might ignite the flames of passion but an embrace from a friend is like the softest pillow that can comfort you in your moments of worry and can relieve stress like magic. You might need a lot of forethought into disclosing your dirtiest secret to your partner but you can just blurt it out without fearing judgment to a friend. This kind of unconditional bonding has medical benefits, especially in reducing anxiety symptoms.
Less emotional baggage
It takes a lot of maturity and delicate handling for a nonplatonic relationship to survive and most importantly equal amount of effort to prevent the spark from dying. For commitment-phobic individuals, it might be too much on their plate, and due to their inability to balance the demands of their relationship and commitment to their professional lives, and some nudging from their inner demons, these relationships fall apart. Know more about platonic relationships, however there is no such commitment involved, thereby leaving the individual free from the complications of emotions. It helps in alleviating stress to a great extent, which, in the long run, is vital for having good mental health.
Endless possibilities
Not all individuals are audacious, and there are many who are afraid to take the next step, fearing the uncertainties associated with every unknown prospect of their life. For these people, committing themselves to a romantic relationship can be extremely stressful as they do not know how the partnership will turn out once the physical attraction dies out. For these kinds of individuals, engaging in platonic relationships and staying friends with someone from the opposite sex proves to be very healthy, as it leaves little or no chances of embittering of great bonding, and also a minuscule possibility of finding their happily ever after with their best friends.
With the modern generation, making friends is a cakewalk thanks to the countless social networking platforms and opportunities to collaborate with strangers. There are multiple dating applications as well where you can explore different romantic options as per your choice and see if you are destined to become star-crossed lovers. However, if the part and parcel of romantic relationships is not your cup of tea you can always opt for healthy friendships which are purely platonic.
Having a romantic stroll in the moonlight with your partner might be among the top five items on your to-do list but what if you don’t have a partner yet? Well, you must know that a person from the opposite sex with whom you are on complete platonic terms can also be a great companion if you want to watch reruns of your favourite TV shows or just go for grabbing a coffee after a hectic day where you can rant all you want about your toxic co-workers. After all, a partner will complain if you do not give enough time to nurture your relationship but a friend will always make you laugh even in the loneliest of the moments and do stupid and funny things to make you smile when things go haywire in their lives. So, the next time you are sick of people sniffing out the prospects of romantic potential when they are around you, take some time to explore the prospects of the platonic friends that you have, and no matter what, you will never be bored with them.
