What Is Platonic Relationship?

If we go by the technical definition, a platonic relationship is one where two people feel love and attraction towards each other without any form of sexual feeling or physical intimacy. Some people say that platonic relationship is just another term for friendship. However, that may not be true because friendships may involve romance or physical intimacy or both, even though in a casual manner.

Are platonic relationships real?

If we overlook the technical definition and consider how things work in the real world, it would be easy to see that platonic relationships are quite rare. They do exist and can be a wonderful life experience. However, in many cases, platonic relationships are just a form of disguise. Here are some situations wherein platonic relationships may be used to conceal an ulterior motive or suppress one’s natural emotions.

For professional favors – In an office environment, a colleague may use platonic relationship as a mask to gain favors from the other individual. For example, they may get work done from the other individual and claim credit for it in front of their peers. In the garb of platonic relationship, some people may also seek other professional favors such as their favorite job posting, salary increment, promotion, bonus, etc.

For sexual favors – There can be individuals who might pretend to be in a platonic relationship. They may behave and make you feel that way in the initial stages of the relationship. However, their actual plan may be to get close to you and eventually seek sexual favors. You need to be smart enough to spot such fake people and try to stay away from them. A relationship based on lies and ulterior motives is unlikely to last long.

To suppress unrequited love – Some people may fake platonic relationship just to suppress their feelings of unrequited love. They may not want to lose you completely, so they pretend to use the platonic route. Even though such a facade may be harmless, suppressing one’s natural feelings cannot be sustained for long. If unrequited love is the reason for a platonic relationship, it is unlikely to be a joyful experience for the people involved.

As is evident from above, platonic relationships are not so simple and fun. If you have doubts, it’s better to discuss things openly, so that both of you can be on the same page. Be clear about what you want from the relationship and set boundaries that both of you can follow.