It always hurts when your ex takes very little time to move on into a new relationship. We like to tell ourselves that it isn’t serious and will never last, we still find ourselves asking “will my ex’s rebound last”?
As a general rule, an ex’s rebound will not last. Rebounds tend to have upwards of a 60% failure rate. And failure is almost assured if the relationship is started only a short time after the end of the previous relationship.
But there are times when a rebound can not only last, but thrive. I feel your pain and I know firsthand what it’s like being in a troubled relationship.
When evaluating their new fling, you should look for several clear signs that it won’t last, including their communication skills and how honest they are about their relationship and each other. Also, if they didn’t know each other for long, then it won’t.
Read on to learn to recognize the signs of your ex’s relationship to see if it truly is a real relationship or not. Below are all excellent indicators of whether your ex’s rebound relationship will last.
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Why Rebound Relationships Can Sometimes Last
Rebound relationships are those that start very quickly after a breakup. Most experts agree that a relationship within six months of separation is considered a rebound relationship.
Generally, someone gets into a relationship with a rebound person to get over their ex.
These relationships don’t last very long because they don’t have time to process their feelings and negative emotions from the breakup before jumping into a new relationship and aren’t emotionally ready to commit to a new partner.
Relationship coach Chris Seiter estimates that rebound relationships last an average of 5 months, and only 39-40% of rebound relationships last long-term. So statistically, your ex’s rebound relationship isn’t likely to last.
However, each relationship is different, and when it comes to the potential of a rebound relationship, it’s important to consider several things.
Let’s look at them now.
1. Their New Partner Is Very Different From You
When looking for a rebound relationship, many people look for someone who’s the complete opposite of the person they just broke up with. This may seem like a good idea because if the two of you aren’t compatible, they want to try something different.
However, this is a clear sign that they don’t really know what they want from a relationship.
It’s essential to take time after a relationship ends to consider which characteristics you want and don’t want in your next partner. Rebound relationships often happen too fast to truly process what you need moving forward.
The chances are that if your relationship lasted a while, you have a lot of characteristics that your ex likes. If they seem to discount the traits that worked well in your relationship, their new relationship won’t be sustainable.
Less often, your ex will begin a relationship with someone eerily similar to you.
Maybe they look like you, or perhaps they have the same career and hobbies. The similarities will be apparent to others, and these partners almost seem like a replacement for you.
But if your relationship with your ex didn’t work out, it’s unlikely that a similar relationship will.
Like your complete opposite, a relationship with someone similar to you will likely not end well for your ex. A successful relationship should be a happy medium between the familiar and something new.
2. Communication Is Non-Existent or Significantly Decreased
When someone is in a serious relationship, they won’t keep in constant contact with their ex. Even in situations where you agreed to still be friends, communications naturally change as you go your separate ways.
According to a survey conducted by The Modern Man, only 30% of men said their exes are okay with keeping in contact after a breakup.
If most exes keep in contact, it’s very telling if your ex doesn’t want to stay in touch.
Even if you don’t cut off contact entirely after breaking up, if your ex is serious about their new partner, they won’t chat with you very much.
At first, it may seem like they aren’t putting as much effort into your communication. They won’t reach out to initiate contact themselves, they take longer to respond, and those responses are very brief.
It may begin to feel like pulling teeth when conversations used to flow naturally. In this case, your ex is responding to you to be polite but isn’t actually interested in continuing your relationship.
The change in communication can also reflect the wishes of the new partner.
Having a new partner in contact with their ex can often be concerning. If your ex has cut off contact with you out of respect for their new relationship and not from personal preference, it shows their respect for their partner.
3. They Knew Their New Partner Previously
Rebound relationships often happen so fast that there’s no time for the new connection to develop a strong foundation. That’s why these vulnerable relationships often fall apart so quickly.
However, if your ex knew their new partner before the breakup and even before they met you, the relationship will be stronger than a typical rebound relationship. Whether a previous ex or a long-time friend, your ex has a better idea of who they are and what’s important to them.
In my case, my ex-wife began a relationship with her best friend (a guy) that she knew for 7 years.
He was a family friend as well, and they started dating after we separated, but long before the ink was dry on our divorce decree.
Generally, people are more cautious about beginning relationships with friends because they don’t want to lose their friendship if the relationship doesn’t work out. Because of this, people think more carefully before committing. This is a different situation from the usual spontaneous rebound relationship.
Therefore, if your ex is with someone they’ve known for a while, their relationship will probably last beyond a typical rebound.
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4. They Have Made It Past the Honeymoon Phase
The honeymoon phase is usually the easiest part of a relationship. New relationships seem fun and exciting initially, and it can be easy to overlook any issues that arise.
In a rebound relationship, the honeymoon period typically lasts about three months.
The relationship then begins to become less novel as the couple starts to face real challenges together. How the couple navigates the time after the honeymoon phase can be very telling for the strength of their relationship moving forward.
It’s natural for people to try and avoid conflict and difficulty.
Pushing through obstacles is a test of commitment, and this is as true in relationships as in anything else. A relationship built on mutual respect and dedication will last past the honeymoon phase.
Conversely, when someone doesn’t consider a relationship important, it won’t seem worth the work of facing obstacles. For example, if a partner’s family and friends disapprove of your relationship, it can be a big obstacle.
If you aren’t genuinely invested in the relationship, it isn’t worth working for approval, and easier to end the relationship.
5. Your Relationship Ended Gradually and Amiably
Your ex’s success in their new relationship depends significantly on their mindset from the beginning. Although rebound relationships are defined by their immediacy after the official breakup, your situation may be different if the love between you was fading for a while before you ended things.
If your relationship ended messily, your ex’s emotions will still be pretty raw, which can prevent them from being open with their new partner.
Relationships cannot last long if one of the people involved isn’t emotionally available.
Conversely, if your relationship had been fading slowly for a while before you finally decided to break up, or you’ve already been separated for some time, your ex may be open to a new relationship. Although the breakup may be recent, it won’t be as traumatic if their feelings have been fading for a while.
And if you’re a guy who got dumped by a woman, I can guarantee her feelings were fading for a long time before you became aware of it.
Women tend to not say anything in the face of fading love and passion, and then only bring it up once they are actually done. It’s not fair of course (that’s what happened to me). But most of the time, that is how women handle it.
So if her feelings have been gone for a while, your ex’s rebound is more likely to succeed.
The person who initiated the breakup can also be a factor in their new relationship. If you’re the one who ended the relationship, your ex may be hurt or even blindsided and may react in the same way as they’d to a messy breakup.
If your ex was the one that ended things, they might be able to move on faster than you. Before they decided to end the relationship, they spent time thinking through the pros and cons of your relationship.
Essentially, they began the processing and grieving process before the breakup, which makes them more ready to transition into a new relationship.
6. Their New Partner Is Worried About You
No one in a relationship wants to constantly be hearing about their partner’s ex, because it feels hurtful and can inspire plenty of jealousy.
Generally, these negative feelings aren’t well hidden. Sometimes your ex’s new partner will reach out to you directly, and other times it’s something you hear through the grapevine.
Either way, jealousy isn’t a good sign that a rebound relationship will last.
If your ex’s new partner feels threatened by you, it can be because they sense that your ex is still interested in you. Maybe your ex has been talking about you more or still seems upset from your breakup. This is often the cause for the new partner to end the relationship.
If your ex isn’t exhibiting signs of thinking about you, their new partner’s concern can also be from their own insecurities. This type of protective and sometimes even paranoid attitude isn’t healthy in a relationship any more than jealousy and may cause the relationship to end quickly.
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7. They Spend More Time With Friends
Quality time with your partner is an integral part of a relationship. The time that your ex spends with their friends can reflect the condition of their new relationship.
If your ex is frequently hanging out with their friends without their new partner, it could be an excuse to spend less time with the person. It could also mean that the relationship isn’t serious enough to introduce them to the group.
If it’s been a few months since they got together and your ex still isn’t comfortable introducing them, that can be a sign that they don’t consider their new relationship serious.
What if your ex does bring their new partner to hang out with their friends?
Then it’s time to look at their private time as well. If your ex only hangs out with their new partner in a group setting and doesn’t value any alone time, that isn’t a good sign for their relationship.
Using their friends as a buffer to avoid alone time isn’t a viable long-term plan. Let’s face it, group dates are the ultimate cock-block and really only appropriate once a couple is in a full-fledged long-term committed relationship.
8. Your Ex Is Honest With Their New Partner
Nobody wants to feel like they’re the rebound.
However, being honest with a new partner is essential for a relationship to have potential. If your ex has been truthful with their new partner about when and how your relationship ended, it establishes trust from the very beginning.
If their partner finds out down the road that they were the rebound, it’ll understandably upset them.
So how do you tell if your ex is being honest with their new partner? The best indicator of this is whether your ex is introducing them to people in their life.
If they’re keeping any kind of secret from their significant other, they’ll be very nervous that their friends and family may say something unknowingly that gives them away and will wait longer to introduce them.
9. Your Ex Has Cut Off Attachments
Many things can remind you of your ex.
Maybe it’s an old sweatshirt of theirs, a piece of jewelry they gave you, contact with their friends, or visiting “your spot.” The memento doesn’t matter, as it’s all about the sentimental attachment.
It often takes time to let go of these relics from past relationships.
After all, not all the memories you have with the person are bad, even if it was rough at the end. Part of healing process from a relationship is letting go of the reminders of the past to move forwards.
If your ex is still hanging on to souvenirs of your relationship, they probably haven’t moved on enough to take a new relationship seriously. This is a strong indicator that their rebound relationship is doomed to fail.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Makes a Relationship a Rebound?
A rebound relationship is one that occurs shortly after the end of a previous relationship.
It is often seen as a way to help someone move on from their last relationship, but it can also be a source of confusion and hurt. To understand what makes a relationship a rebound, it’s important to look at the motivations behind it.
When someone enters into a rebound relationship, they are usually looking for something to fill the void left by their last partner. This could be companionship, physical intimacy, or even just the feeling of being wanted and desired again.
Rebound relationships can provide these things in the short term, but they often lack the emotional connection and commitment that comes with a more established relationship.
Another of the signs of a rebound relationship is how quickly it starts after the end of the previous one.
If two people start dating shortly after one has ended their last relationship, then it’s likely that they are using each other as an emotional crutch rather than forming an authentic connection.
This can lead to feelings of guilt and regret down the line when one or both parties realize that they weren’t ready for such an intense commitment so soon after their last breakup.
Finally, rebound relationships can be unhealthy if either party is still emotionally attached to their ex-partner.
If someone is still hung up on their ex and using their new partner as an escape from those feelings, then it’s unlikely that either person will get what they need out of the relationship in the long run. It’s important for both parties to be honest about where they are emotionally before entering into any kind of new partnership.
Rebound relationships can be beneficial if both parties are honest about their intentions and expectations going in.
However, if either person is using the other as an emotional crutch or trying to fill an empty void left by their ex-partner, then it’s likely that neither will get what they need out of this type of arrangement in the long run.
Can a Rebound Transition to a Full-Fledged relationship?
Yes, a rebound relationship can transition to a full-fledged relationship.
It is possible for two people to move from a rebound relationship to a committed, long-term relationship. However, it is important for both parties to be honest with each other and take the time to get to know one another before making any commitments.
Rebound relationships are often formed when one or both partners are coming out of a previous relationship.
This can be an emotionally vulnerable time for both parties and it is important that they take the time to process their feelings before entering into a new relationship. It is also important that they communicate openly and honestly about their expectations and feelings in order to ensure that the new relationship has the best chance of success.
It is also important for both partners to be aware of any potential issues that may arise due to their past relationships.
For example, if one partner was hurt in their previous relationship, they may need extra time and support in order to heal before entering into a new one. Additionally, if either partner has unresolved issues from their past relationships, it is important that these are addressed before moving forward with the new relationship.
Finally, it is essential that both partners take the time to get to know each other on an emotional level before committing themselves fully.
This means taking the time to talk about their hopes and dreams for the future as well as any fears or doubts they may have about entering into a new relationship. By doing this, both partners can gain an understanding of each other’s needs and wants which will help them build trust and create a strong foundation for their future together.
How Often Do Rebound Relationships Succeed?
Studies have found that only around 10-20% of rebound relationships last for more than six months.
Rebound relationships are often seen as a way to help people move on from a previous relationship. They can be a great way to help someone heal and find closure, but they don’t always work out. It’s important to understand the risks and rewards of entering into a rebound relationship before taking the plunge.
Rebound relationships can be successful if both parties are honest about their intentions and expectations.
If one person is looking for a serious commitment while the other rebound partner is just looking for something casual, it’s unlikely that the relationship will last. It’s also important to make sure that both people have had enough time to process their feelings about their previous relationship before entering into a new one.
It’s also important to consider how long the rebound relationship will last.
If it’s only meant to be a short-term fling, then it may not be worth investing too much emotion into it. On the other hand, if both parties are looking for something more long-term, then there is more potential for success.
The success of rebound relationships also depends on how well each person has healed from their previous relationship. If either person is still dealing with unresolved issues or unresolved feelings, then it may not be wise to enter into a new relationship until those issues have been addressed and dealt with in some way.
Overall, rebound relationships can be successful if both parties are honest about their intentions and expectations and have taken enough time to heal from their previous relationship before entering into a new one.
What Are the Stages Of a Rebound Romance?
It is important to understand the stages of a rebound relationship so that you can make sure it is healthy and beneficial for both parties involved.
The first stage of a rebound romance is usually excitement and anticipation.
Both parties are eager to explore this new connection and may feel an intense chemistry right away. This stage is often filled with passionate conversations, romantic gestures, and lots of physical contact.
The second stage is when reality sets in and both parties start to realize that this relationship may not be as perfect as they initially thought.
They may start to notice flaws in their partner or become aware of differences in values or beliefs. This can lead to arguments and disagreements, which can cause tension between them.
The third stage is when one or both partners start to feel overwhelmed by the intensity of their feelings for each other.
They may become anxious about where the relationship is going or worry that they are not good enough for their partner. This can lead to feelings of insecurity and doubt, which can cause further conflict between them.
The fourth stage is when one or both partners decide that it’s time to end the relationship.
This could be due to unresolved issues from their previous relationships, differences in values or beliefs, or simply because they have realized that this isn’t what they want anymore.
The breakup process can be difficult for both parties involved as it brings up old emotions from past relationships and can leave them feeling hurt and confused about what went wrong.
Rebound romances are often short-lived but they can still have an impact on those involved if not handled properly.
It’s important for both partners to take time to reflect on what went wrong so that they don’t make the same mistakes in future relationships.
Can a Rebound Be True Love?
It can be hard to tell if a relationship is based on true love or if it is simply a rebound. But is it possible for a rebound to turn into true love? Yes.
It’s just not likely.
The first thing to consider when determining if a rebound relationship is true love is the length of time between relationships.
If the relationship with the new person begins shortly after the end of the past relationship, it may be more likely that it is a rebound and not true love. On the other hand, if there has been some time between relationships, then it may be more likely that it is true love.
Another factor to consider when determining if a rebound relationship is true love or not is how quickly feelings develop in the new relationship. If feelings develop quickly and intensely, then it may be more likely that it is a rebound and not true love.
On the other hand, if feelings develop slowly and steadily over time, then it may be more likely that it is true love.
Finally, another factor to consider when determining if a romantic relationship is true love or not is how much effort each partner puts into making the relationship work.
If both partners are willing to put in the effort and make compromises for each other, then this could indicate that they are in a loving and committed relationship rather than just a rebound one.
On the other hand, if one partner does not seem willing to put in the effort to meet the emotional needs of or make compromises for their partner, then this could indicate that they are in a rebound rather than an emotionally committed one.
In a healthy relationship, there is always a good balance of give and take of each other’s needs.
Overall, while there are no guarantees when it comes to determining whether or not a rebound relationship can become true love, there are certain factors that can help indicate whether or not this might be possible.
These include considering how long ago the previous relationship ended, how quickly feelings developed in the new one, and how much effort each partner puts into making their new partnership work.
Final Thoughts
Many factors contribute to the success of a rebound relationship.
And while you never know the intimate details of your ex’s new relationship, these signs can help you get a pretty good idea of whether this new relationship has the potential to last.
But the best thing is to not sit around and wait to see if it fails hoping they come back to you.
Those are all the wrong reasons. Instead, focus on being the best version of yourself that you can be. Exercise, spend time with friends, get back to doing things that bring you joy.
And go the proverbial no contact rule with them; don’t reach out to them for any reason. And that includes stalking, liking, or commenting on their social media. If anything will work to bring your old flame back to you, it will be that.
Get a FREE copy of The Ex-Back Handbook – https://newmiddleclassdad.com/exback
