Is Constant Cohabitation Healthy?
How healthy is it for couples to live together all the time and avoid social relationships? Some couples, by choice or reserved nature, prefer no social ties except for work or family. A couple closed off to itself for years is in danger—it breeds dependency. At first, partners want to consume their love intensely.
Every separation feels insurmountable, even for time with loved ones. They prefer staying home, free to show affection without judgment.
It’s a phase where they seem to need only each other. Yet couples must build themselves facing the outside world. Time requires adjustments and dynamics in the relationship.
Without confronting the external world together, relationship evolution stays limited. Fewer strengthening situations arise, risking late discovery of how each acts with others, family, friends. A rich social circle diversifies dialogue; indirect experiences enrich both.
Some are asocial—little interest in others, disliking crowds, enjoying solitary activities or just with partner. This isn’t emotional/mental illness; just low social preference. But how long? Can a couple survive without feeding on other relationships?
Long-established couples losing all social ties are at risk. Isolated, their social range shrinks, becoming vulnerable. Support circle gone, any major issue forces total reliance on each other—no alternatives.
Isolation happens when one devotes exclusively to the couple, abandoning friends, family, gratifying activities.
Many in isolation deny it or that partner explicitly forbids it. Abusers rarely ban outright; manipulation isolates subtly, progressively.
Codependency in Couples
Codependency is sacrificing one’s needs/well-being to meet partner’s emotional/physical/psychological ones constantly. Pre-pandemic studies showed socially isolated couples fare worse than integrated ones.
Surrounding people miss dependency/abuse signs, assuming all’s well. Isolation alarms when friendships break without reason—losing friends, family, support networks.
Relationships thrive in society when partners agree on social outing frequency/events/visits. Disagreement demands compromise to avoid issues.
Differing social needs require agreement on frequency/events. Solutions must benefit both. One can attend solo—individual social experiences enrich talks and contacts.
