Are you in a rebound relationship?

If your latest romantic interest has recently ended a marriage or long-term relationship, you may be wondering if you are enmeshed in a rebound affair. These liaisons statistically end badly. Once an individual works through his or her emotional pain from the previous commitment, the "transitional relationship" usually ends.

There are definite signs which indicate that a rebound affair is in progress. If you are wondering if your relationship meets the criteria, here are some points to consider:

1. The first indication is one of which you are already aware. Your partner recently ended a previous relationship which he or she considered to be serious and probably expected to be permanent or at least long-term. Typically, they did not institute the break-up; it was forced upon them.

2. They may have a history of going from one relationship right into another. They seem unable to enjoy being alone. They would prefer to spend every waking moment in your company, and could be described as being "clingy" and "needy".

3. After your first meeting, they did not really take time to get to know you. They wanted to move quickly from being merely an acquaintance into a serious, committed relationship.

4. They often talk about their former partner, and compare you to their previous mate. Even if you benefit by comparison, it's a still a bad sign. It shows their thoughts are still dwelling on your predecessor.

5. They try to keep your romance secret. Are they hoping that there may be a slight chance they will reconcile with their former partner at some future time?

6. Alternately, they make an effort to show off or broadcast your relationship. Are they trying to make their former partner jealous?

7. He or she suggests visiting places where they once had great times with their ex: a favorite restaurant, coffee shop, or amusement park. All these excursions suggest your partner is still living in the past; they are not yet ready to move on and create new memories with you.

Statistics show that eight out of ten rebound romances are doomed to failure. However, if you happen to be one of the other two percent, how should you proceed?

If you want your new relationship to work out, don't rush. Consider being a friend, rather than a lover. Don't engage all your partner's free time. Give them the opportunity to reflect on their loss, grieve, get over it, and get ready to move on.

Encourage their healthy relationships with other friends and family members. While spending time with others, they will have sympathetic listeners on whom they can unload emotional hurts and scars, without involving you.

 When the two of you are together, spend time getting to know each other, engaging in fun activities and creating fresh memories. Do not rush into any kind of physical intimacy.

Making a rebound relationship work takes lots of time and patience. Once your romantic interest gets over the pain and heartbreak resulting from the failure of the previous relationship, and is emotionally healthy, he or she will be able to assess realistically the current relationship with you.

If you have succeeded in becoming a good, trusted, and valued friend, you will have an excellent chance of becoming a permanent partner with whom he or she will be genuinely anxious to live happily ever after.