Overview
- Clinicians describe ethical non-monogamy as emotionally high-risk without clear boundaries, ongoing consent reviews and strong communication, warning that broken agreements can cause significant trauma.
- Experts caution against opening a relationship to repair existing problems or after an affair, saying such motives often worsen mistrust and insecurity.
- Therapists distinguish people who identify as polyamorous from couples opening relationships for situational reasons, noting that some users feel pressured by modern dating norms.
- Platform data underscore growing visibility rather than population-level prevalence, with Feeld reporting 45% of active members listing ENM-related terms and Bumble citing one in eight users considering it.
- Personal accounts point to mixed outcomes, from accelerated breakups to improved communication or new compatible relationships, reinforcing that results depend on motives, capacity and boundaries.