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Home > Articles > Sexuality Articles > Friends with Benefits - Why it never works
A-R-Norman
Written By A-R-Norman

Friends with Benefits - Why it never works

 
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Posted More than a year ago Views 2793 Comments 34 Category Sexuality
When I was young, I always believed sex "meant something", and it wasn't simply something that was taught to me -- it was instinctive.

When I grew up and entered the adult world, tons of people told me that sex was meaningless and I was just being on old-fashioned Priss. Being naive (and trusting the wrong people) I had a one night stand at the urging of so called friends.

I recall nervously telling the guy that it was my first time in that realm. He sneered at me and said "Most women say that so you won't think they're a slut..."

At that moment I felt very cheapened. Later, the one girl who had coaxed me into the one night stand laughed and replied, "See, now you are no better than me, and you can't say anything to me!"

I cried.

I never had another one night stand again, and learned some valuable lessons. Despite how nonchalant people try to be about sex, it is far more complicated than many would have us believe.

As I matured, I made other sexual missteps, but of a different nature. Because of this, I slowly realized a pattern of behavior. MOST people, MEN INCLUDED, do not really take sex lightly, they merely run from various implications of it.

Now, this may not be the case with all people who enjoy a liberated lifestyle, but I will say that the MAJORITY of men and women I found who engaged in wanton, free sex, be it with stranger or friend, were either afraid of commitment, or running from something.

Invariably, if I sat down to talk with these people (I have a way of making people feel comfortable enough to bare their souls) they spill on old ghosts, fears, childhoods, that hint at why they don't desire to have an adult, give and take, one on one sexual relationship.

There were always two main culprits, which is always at the heart of emotional issues.


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Fear and anger.

Anger emerged from those who were hurt by a man or woman, or as a child, culminating in an immature, almost sociopathic rage that only served to perpetuate the cycle of pain that we inflict on one another - such a response solves nothing.

Fear is borne from individuals who believe that they are damaged, and don't want to let anyone in enough to see flaws. As soon as someone gets too close, they run like scared rabbits.

Immature individuals also feel they deserve to have what they want free of expectations or respect to the person they want to obtain it from. In this way, meaningless sex allows them to have the perks of a relationship, without having to deal with the needs of someone else.

People must realize that anything that has worth, kids, love, marriage, come with a price--nothing is free. You can't just walk into a store and walk out with diamond--you pay for it. Sex has its price as well, and we can't circumvent it.

Did we not learn anything from the past? The free love sixties fell by the wayside with a thud. Why? Because Human beings are by and large, emotional and spiritual beings. We are not Vulcans who can push aside our natural responses with a "logical pact". Our emotional side is just as valid as the intellectual one.

We are biologically engineered to bond after sex. For example, a woman release a hormone called oxytocin when she orgasms during sex. This hormone is also released when she breastfeeds her baby, so that she bonds with it. Some studies indicate men also release a hormone that causes an attachment to the female partner. We are SUPPOSED to want to be with one another after a sexual experience -- it is the nature of the human creatures design.

As I told one poster, it ain't nice to fool with mother nature!

Want to know why FWB doesn't work--because sex does mean something--we know in our hearts this is true, no matter what we tell ourselves -- going against our hearts and spirits has always been the height of human folly, but also of man's learning and evolution.

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Article Comments

 
vortexofdoom97 I kinda disagree. Friends with benefits means REAL friends who can relieve sexual needs with each other without asking for anything in return, it doesn't just mean casual sex buddies. Friends with benefits can be meaningful in a completely different way - More than a year ago
A-R-Norman If you can do that, then you have beat out 99.9 percent of the rest of the population. Bravisimo! - More than a year ago
littlesenorita Great article. You write so well, what a gift! - More than a year ago
A-R-Norman Thank you! I have learned so much the hard way and I hope I can spare others from making the same mistakes... - More than a year ago
lovebird01 I agree with you 100 percent here, and I couldn't say it any better! Really great article! I made a similar comment about FWB on another question about it. I'm happy to see morality, affection, respect, and decency make a reappearance here! - More than a year ago
kiamia Awesome article, so true and so well written. Thanks.

- More than a year ago
tmandl I agree with most of this except for the part about men feeling attached after sex.....I would say that women do feel or want to feel close after an orgasm but men.....I think they can easily have sex and not feel anything..... - More than a year ago
A-R-Norman I have met guys who get emotionality attached but are afraid to say so ue to societal pressure. I don't know how many guys I have "counseled" who had their hearts broken by a chick who had sex with them and left. - More than a year ago
Sugarcoat Very wise words! *applauds*
I'm sorry that so called friend hurt you like that, that's just horrible to do to someone. =[ - More than a year ago
motorboater My response to the start of your article was "You are quite the sensitive, knight-in-shining-armor act, aren't you?"

But you did conclude with some sound, non-self-aggrandizing points about motivation and ramifications and biology so, hats off for the second half.

Men bond after sex typically too, not just women. Why are we jealous, fighting each other over unfaithful girls, and consumed with imagery of her with the new guy after you split up? We respond to bonding differently, that's all. - More than a year ago
A-R-Norman Amen motor boater! I firmly believe that men experience emotional connections with sex, but society makes them feel as if they should be ashamed of this aspect. Not to say that it couldn't be casual, but that men can bond physiologically and emotionally as well - More than a year ago
archer86 Say WHAT?!? FWB are the simplest relationships to start, maintain and disengage. Without FWB, I would have commited suicide years ago! With divorce, men-bashing, internet dating frauds and lack of legal prostitution, what else are men to do? Sex flings are a good thing and always have been. Unfortunately, all it takes is one idiot man to ruin it for the rest of us GOOD guys whom women reject because we are not their type. - More than a year ago
LilMiss I love your writing style, and I agree with you on this entirely. I've also learned the hard way with a lot of things and it's wonderful that you've shared your experiences with others to help prevent it from happening to them. When you said you felt cheapened, I had a flashback to a bad memory and you're absolutely right. A lot of guys know exactly what to say to make us feel that way and it's awful. Anyways, I give you a million kudos for this article!! - More than a year ago
Foxy-Sox I agree...it doesn't work....weather it be the male or female with the need to band after sex...one person almost always ends up getting hurt.

I never even knew about the hormone thing.

Well said! Cheers! - More than a year ago
A-R-Norman Archer--if you were really one of the GOOD guys you wouldn't be thinking o f women as simple devices to get off with... - More than a year ago
MangoMooMoo I think that this is really an awesome article and youve made some thorough points. For the most part I agree with you, but I can help but look at it from the opposite perspective. Whatever underlaying issues there may be in people who prefer NSA sex, I think thier main defense is that, for them, it works. So I agree that generally one nighters and FWB situations don't work for the average. However, we live in a diversified world where no one is alike. - More than a year ago
A-R-Norman I agree with yah Mango--but I do think that people who are mature, caring and loving enough to make
it work are rare as the human animal appears to be very survivalistic and out for self most times...just my observation... - More than a year ago
ariellew I also disagree. I havea FWB and we are really close, always have been. After all that we do together, we still love each other no matter what, and we tell each other that. I agree with vortexofdoom.. it can be meaningful. just like mine is. and its amazing if you try it.. and a lot of fun. - More than a year ago
A-R-Norman I didn't say it couldn't happen, but the odds are so slim that it is a big risk to take. If one takes that step, they must be sure to be honest about how they feel about one another ( if one is in love and the other not then it is a recipe for disaster) and also, about what they want from relationships. If both of you can be casual about it then got for it--you are in a rare percentile... - More than a year ago
A-R-Norman Besides, I did try it, and I am just not made that way. I stopped apologizing a long time ago for being someone who wanted something deeper, so I won't start now... - More than a year ago
sexygirl8000 I don't care about all those guys who say friends with benefits are totally mellow. maybe initially. but after there's gotta be a reason why you keep wanting to do it with them. - More than a year ago
bubblegumcandy2 Lovely! I just absolutly love this article! great job! very eye opening! - More than a year ago
cheerangelcharity Amen! Kinda recently I had a friends-with-some-benefits but I realized that the only reason he was trying to be "friends" with me was for those "benefits" [and then later he denies it...] And it was my first time I've done ANYTHING [even kissing] with a guy and, after I confessed that, he got really scared that I could be "creepy-clingy." I told him that I wouldn't be like that [and I honestly thought I wouldn't] but a couple days later I did start to be like that. The rest is just a mess... - More than a year ago
lefthand The science you are quoting has been refuted and comes from the people who back abstinence only education.

In addition, you have no experience with a FWB situation and are simply making pronouncements. While you might believe what you are saying to be true, it doesn't reflect the research or my experience. - 10 months ago
symphonee I have to disagree to some level. I had a FWB and it worked out well. The important thing to remember is that the "friend" comes before the benefit. I knew my FWB for over six years before we added those benefits and we laid down clear ground rules. When neither one of us was in a relationship, we would. You are right about the maturity level that it takes to have a FWB. Most people don't want to invest in that though. - 9 months ago
A-R-Norman Left hand, while I peronsonally didn't do it because I know I wouldn't have the heart to just be casual, I know waay too many girls and guys for that matter who had their hearts broken or destroyed friendships with FWB so while it can work for a few, from what I have seen in general, it tends to only cause problems. - 8 months ago
A-R-Norman Hey Semphonee--I think my main point here is that most people are going against their true desires and instincts when they pursue a FWB--a girl may think she can get a guy to fall in love by having sex with him. A guy may desire a relationship when homegirl is just experimenting. This is immaturity to an extent but I don't think having an FWB necessarily makes one mature or not mature--it is simply a matter of what you really want from relationships and being honest about it to cut drama. - 8 months ago
Lis4Loca I completely agree. You get em! - 8 months ago
KatieV Good article. I agree, except that I believe that God made us to bond in sex. It is deeper because "the two will become one." It makes you and that other person part of eachother, quite literally but also emotionally. I can't describe how much it hurts (and I don't have to, because most of you know) to lose that person who shared their body and soul with you and vice versa. Even if they were cruel, hurtful, or used you, it hurts beyond words. :( - 8 months ago
NMMan I'm a huge fan of Seinfeld, and an episode of that show called "The Deal" (regarding a prospective FWB relationship between Elaine and Jerry) was a comedic illustration of this very principle. There are some exceptions of course, and certain people can be 100% rational in this arrangement without getting emotionally invested in the other person. However, by and large, FWB often fails due to the reasons outlined here by Alicia and more. - 7 months ago
the-love-guru I read that article, and nodded almost the entire time. Thank you for representing women who have tried (and failed) to behave like everyone else does. Thank goodness! So many of my friends say that it's "healthy" to have these kinds of relationships, and that it's all part of being in our 20's,but I want something more. Much more.Thank you for reminding me why, - 5 months ago
hardboy Actually, as I understand it, women advancing into their 30s and 40s become MORE sexually aggressive than in their 20s, while at the same time men are losing testosterone production and are in decline. I know of more than a few divorcees in their 40s who are happily enjoying "friends with benefits" of various description. It can be done successfully if everyone involved understands the conditions and does not expect commitment. And it certainly is true that women can emotionally wound men. - 5 months ago
roadkingp I like the way you think!...........In this world with little morality your writings always give me hope that nice people are still there living. - 4 months ago
cindeclare Wow...Thank you for that wake up call!!! It's so easy to get lost with this. - 2 months ago
 
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