Is having 'friends with benefits' a good idea in modern relationships?

Personally, I believe 'friends with benefits' is not advisable. A friend of mine had such an experience. They started as just friends who occasionally had sexual encounters. But soon, it became a source of stress. They couldn't be as carefree around each other as before. There were also issues like unspoken expectations. Eventually, they had to cut off the 'benefits' part to save their friendship.

Good friends can provide emotional support. When you're feeling down or facing difficulties, they are there to listen, comfort, and encourage you. For example, if you have a bad day at work, a friend can cheer you up with kind words and a listening ear.

Good friends can provide emotional support. When you are sad or facing difficulties, they can be there to listen and comfort you, making you feel that you are not alone.

No. Having sex with friends is generally not a good idea. It can complicate the friendship in many ways. For example, it might lead to awkwardness afterwards. There could be unspoken expectations or feelings that surface and change the dynamic of the relationship from a simple friendship to something more complex and potentially uncomfortable.

A large circle of friends can provide more diverse perspectives. Different friends may have different ways of thinking, which can broaden your own view.

One benefit is privacy. You can share more personal or exclusive content with just your close friends. It's like having a private group within Instagram. Another benefit is that it can strengthen your relationships. By sharing special stories only with them, it makes your close friends feel more special and involved in your life.

One potential problem is the confusion of feelings. It might start as just physical, but then one person could develop deeper feelings and the other might not, which can lead to hurt and a damaged friendship.

Another problem is the impact on their social circle. If their friends find out about their friends with benefits situation, it can lead to a lot of gossip and judgment. In college, word spreads fast, and they might face unwanted attention or even lose some friends who don't approve of such relationships.

The common challenges include dealing with secrecy. Some gay friends with benefits may not be open about their arrangement to their wider circle of friends or family. This can create stress. Also, there can be a lack of emotional support. Since it's not a traditional relationship, they may not feel comfortable relying on each other for emotional needs. And then there's the problem of changing sexual needs or preferences over time which can make the physical aspect of the relationship difficult to maintain.

One benefit is the wisdom they can share. Older women have more life experiences, like in a story I know where an older woman friend gave great advice on handling family issues to her younger friend.