Open relationships: fantasy vs. reality for couples?

Open relationships: fantasy vs. reality for couples?

I’ve been thinking a lot about open relationships lately and wanted to hear from people with real experience or strong opinions.

For many couples, the idea of an open relationship sounds exciting in theory — more freedom, exploration, honesty, maybe even strengthening the primary bond. But I’m curious how often that fantasy actually matches reality once emotions, jealousy, boundaries, and day-to-day life come into play.

Some questions I’m genuinely interested in:

For couples who tried it:

what surprised you the most (good or bad)?

Did opening the relationship fix underlying issues, expose them, or create new ones?

How much communication is actually enough?

For people who decided not to pursue it — what made you decide it wasn’t for you?

Do you think open relationships work better for certain personality types or relationship stages?

Not looking for judgment or promotion one way or the other — just honest perspectives on whether open relationships tend to stay a fantasy, or if they can realistically work long-term for couples.

Curious to hear your thoughts.