By Sharon Jackson

Almost everyone one I know, has had one of those exhausting on again/off again relationships that leave you drained and pained.  Usually, these types of relationships  occur in our twenties and early thirties, when we’re still trying to figure out who we are and what we want, but they can happen at any age.  The article, “Communication and Therapy can Help Steady a Yo-Yo Relationship,”

Dr. Fatima Aydin, Ph.D & Licensed Psychologist has this to say about Yo-Yo Relationships: “Relationships that fall victim to cyclical break-ups generally tend to be lacking in the elements necessary to create lasting fulfillment.  Yet some couples still choose to remain in them for elements of companionship and temporary fulfillment of intimacy needs that they offer.  If accepted for what they actually are, a form of non-committal need fulfillment and not fully functional intimate relationships, they can be lived out without significant unpleasantness.”

Aydin continues, “It’s when on or both partners accord more meaning or value to them that they  take on a traumatic feel.  That’s the point at which therapy can become helpful, to allow each partner to define their needs and wants, and figure out if their relationship can be stabilized enough for the couple to transition into a more committed relationship with each other, or if it might be best to part ways and seek out a truly fulfilling connection elsewhere.”