“Time chahiye ka matlab kya, ghadiyaal dikhti hai mai tere ko?” 

Blame it on my unhealthy obsession with Bollywood but this very dialogue between Safeena (Alia Bhatt) and Murad (Ranveer Singh) in Gully Boy rings loud in my head every time I hear about people taking a break in a relationship. 

Okay, think of it as a screen you’re sitting too close to and the visuals turn blurry; you know that it’s time to place yourself at a distance only to get a sharper view of the screen. Well, now you may reflect.

Before you start hunting ways to book an appointment with me for relationship advice, hear out these people who think taking a break in relationships is sometimes necessary and it does not imply a break up. 

1. “Sometimes taking a break helps you grow as your own person rather than as a half of someone else, especially when you’re both young.”

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2. “We were both heavy alcoholics and each dealing with mental illness’ that we had just discovered we had. I moved out with our daughter into my dad’s place for six months while we both sought help. In that time we did individual therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, joined alcoholic groups, the whole nine yards. I moved back in a year ago and everything is different. There’s no fighting, no drinking, no codependency, and we are more healthy mentally.”

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3. “My current girlfriend (soon to be fiancé) and I took a break about a year into our relationship. We had gotten together in our first year university and in the second year we just didn’t have the time for each other. It wasn’t really a break, we agreed to split up and talk once we were less busy. Like 8 months later we were both a lot more settled and got back together at the start of 3rd year. Been together 5 years since and it’s going great still.”

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4. “At one point I felt overwhelmed by our relationship, taking a break helped. I had more time for myself and when we returned everything felt fine. At no point during the break did I feel that my love for my partner decreased.”
– Anonymous 

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5. “Personal space is important and sometimes it gets difficult to see what is right or wrong in a relationship because you’re too close to it. Taking a step back helps, be it any relationship.”
– Srishti Magan 

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6. “Instead of continuously fighting over petty issues, it’s better to take a step back from your partner so you don’t hurt each other. Focus on yourself and introspect.”
– Srishti Singh 

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7. “I usually confuse breaks with breakups but sometimes relationships take a toxic turn and we need to sit back and reflect.”
– Anonymous

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8. “I think that taking a break from a relationship is an effort to regain one’s confidence and the first step in believing that everything will be fine (with or without the partner).”
– Karen Dsouza

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9. ” I know of a couple who took a break because they wanted to explore their sexualities further. I found that very mature and touching.”
– Anonymous 

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Also read: People Reveal Why They Got Back With Their Exes & Sometimes, Second Chances Do Work

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