Polyamory Today

Exploring polyamory and ethical non-monogamy in modern times.

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Are Open Relationships with High-Conflict Personalities Possible?

Redefining Love
Polyamory Today
Published in
5 min readNov 11, 2024

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The landscape of relationships is as diverse as the people who navigate it. Non-monogamy has become an increasingly accepted approach to love and partnership, offering avenues for personal growth and fulfillment that differ from traditional monogamy. However, in these relationships, a foundation of trust, communication, and emotional maturity is even more critical than in monogamous relationships.

This brings us to this question: Can a non-monogamous relationship thrive when one or more partner has a high conflict personality (HCP)?

High conflict personalities are characterized by a pattern of escalating conflicts and a tendency to externalize blame. Individuals with HCP traits often struggle with emotional regulation, exhibit all-or-nothing thinking, and may have underlying personality disorders such as borderline or narcissistic personality disorder. (1) Their interactions are frequently volatile, making any relationship challenging.

The Intricacies of Non-monogamy with an HCP Partner

Non-monogamous relationships demand a high degree of emotional intelligence and communication. Partners…

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Polyamory Today
Polyamory Today

Published in Polyamory Today

Exploring polyamory and ethical non-monogamy in modern times.

Redefining Love
Redefining Love

Written by Redefining Love

I write about my personal experience with polyamory and open marriage. Read full story in my book "My Journey to Polyamory And Back" available on Amazon.

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