A rebound is an undefined period following the

breakup A relationship breakup, breakup, or break-up is the termination of a relationship. The act is commonly termed "dumping omeone in slang when it is initiated by one partner. The term is less likely to be applied to a married couple, where a brea ...

of a

romantic relationship Romance or romantic love is a feeling of love for, or a strong attraction towards another person, and the courtship behaviors undertaken by an individual to express those overall feelings and resultant emotions. The ''Wiley Blackwell Encycl ...

. Usually not lasting long.

Description

The term's use dates back to at least the 1830s, when

Mary Russell Mitford Mary Russell Mitford (16 December 1787 – 10 January 1855) was an English author and dramatist. She was born at New Alresford, Alresford in Hampshire. She is best known for ''Our Village'', a series of sketches of village scenes and vividly dr ...

wrote of "nothing so easy as catching a heart on the rebound".

Rebound relationship

The term may also refer to a romantic relationship that a person has during the rebound period, or to the partner in such a relationship. When a serious relationship ends badly, these partners suffer from complex emotional stresses of detachment. This, in combination with the need to move forward, leads previous partners to have uncommitted relations called rebounds. Common confusion exists around the extended duration of rebound periods; simply put, one's critical core values and love are often still gravitated and polarized towards a particular person (i.e. one's previous partner) thereby preventing the overall development and accurate assessment of feelings for others during this period of time (the rebound) because true love requires complete mental-emotional commitment.

Psychology

Someone who is 'on the rebound', or recently out of a serious

dating Dating is a stage of romantic relationships in which two individuals engage in an activity together, most often with the intention of evaluating each other's suitability as a partner in a future intimate relationship. It falls into the categor ...

relationship, is popularly believed to be psychologically incapable of making reasonable decisions regarding suitable partners due to emotional neediness, lingering feelings towards the old partner, or unresolved problems from the previous relationship. Rebound relationships are believed to be short-lived due to one partner's emotional instability and desire to distract themselves from a painful break up. Those emerging from serious relationships are often advised to avoid serious dating until their tumultuous emotions have calmed.

References

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