Not everyone goes into a new relationship because they are in love and attracted to you; some people enter relationships just because they need a rebound — they were probably hurt or jilted, and needed a short-term solution to help feel better.
It’s hard to identify that you are only being used for a rebound relationship, but these signs should give a clue.
1. THERE ARE FORCED EXPECTATIONS ON THE RELATIONSHIP
Forced expectations could really signify that it’s just a rebound relationship. If your partner keeps trying to force certain expectations on the relationship from a former relationship, it could mean that you’re just a rebound. If your partner was truly done with the former relationship, there wouldn’t be need for forced expectations.
2. THE RELATIONSHIP MOVES AT DIFFERENT PACE
A rebound partner could push the relationship to be fast today, and tomorrow that same partner could slow things down. A partner who’s using you as a rebound is probably vulnerable, and letting emotions becloud judgement.
The past keeps coming up in their minds, and it affects their consistency.
3. YOUR PARTNER IS INTENT ON MAKING AN EX JEALOUS
This is another sure characteristic of a rebound relationship. If you are over someone, there wouldn’t really be a need to make that person jealous. But people who look for rebound partners always try to instigate jealousy. If your partner is so intent on making an ex jealous, you really need to watch your steps.
4. THERE’S A LINGERING BITTERNESS FROM THE PAST RELATIONSHIP
People who look for rebound partners almost always have a lingering bitterness from their previous relationship. Even though they are now in a new relationship, they still can’t let go of the pains of their former relationship.
5. YOU’RE IN AN INVISIBLE COMPETITION
Of course, being in a relationship with a partner that’s seeking rebound would automatically place you in competition with an ex that’s no longer there. There would be competition for your partner’s attention, your partner’s emotion and you could feel like you are being measured against your partner’s ex.
6. THE RELATIONSHIP COULD LACK CONNECTION
Connection isn’t something you can force; it has to be mutual. When with a partner who’s on a rebound, there could be this lack of connection, and this is because your partner’s mind is still lingering to a past pain and a past hurt that could make them feel empty and full of regrets at times.
7. TOO MANY EMOTIONS
Sometimes there could be a question mark in your partner’s emotions; their past relationship could make them unnecessarily clingy, suspicious, and jealous – they could even try to rush the relationship from the onset. There’s something usually wrong with a partner seeking rebound; all you have to do is pay attention.
If any of these seven signs exist in your relationship, you truly have to be careful, because a rebound relationship isn’t really a healthy one, and it doesn’t usually end well.
Shawn