Author Publishing Tips

Jealousy in relationships and dealing with jealousy

Jealousy in relationships is to some degree a commonly felt experience, and is a universal trait seen in all cultures. Sociologists` claim that cultural beliefs and values play an important role in determining what triggers leave us feeling jealous, whilst biologists looking at the psychology of jealousy in relationships  have identified factors which may unconsciously influence the expression of extreme jealousy.

Does this mean therefore, that the human psyche has no control over the disagreeable feeling of jealousy? To some extent yes! Jealousy serves as an umbrella term for a wide range of emotions such as fear sadness or anger, which spring from the belief that we may lose the attentions, love or commitment of a person we value. This thread remains constant from the cradle to the grave.

The intense social behaviours of the human race constantly elicit feelings of jealously, whether we recognise or admit these emotions or not. So to the next question-is jealousy always bad?-Because if it cannot be controlled and is a purely negatively charged emotion, it makes for a risky and unhealthy mix.

“Her head is tilted, neck exposed, to court those lustful stares.

As dripping sex from every pore , she offers up her wares.

And in your mind you fancied thus, as cruel suspicion grew.

Some fleeting moment quickly planned and sealed betwixt the two.”

                                                                                                  from Thief Of Hearts by Stephan J Myers

Surprisingly psychologists Robert Bringle and Robert Rydell say no- the emotion of jealousy is not all bad! How so? Well, their stance is taken by recognising a difference between reactive and suspicious jealousy. But what is the difference?

Reactive jealousy is felt when an individual has an undeniable reason to experience the fear of loss- such as a betrayal of trust. Whereas suspicious jealousy occurs with no realistic indication of the withdrawal of attention, love or commitment. Instead it is tied up with the psyche of the jealous party about the quality of their relationship with another.

Dealing With Jealousy

Granted, relationships and dealing with jealousy will always be unpredictable-Not least because it does not lie with one person to control another. In fact relationships tend to be more satisfying when based on reciprocal trust. However, as philosophers such as Epicuras and Budda maintain, what we value in life is not guaranteed to last, and so at times can cause an uneasy fear that it may be lost. If this feeling is displayed in suspicious jealousy, it can lead to destructive and damaging behaviours such as domestic abuse. This is not necessarily a problem with having the feeling, but with what we may do with it.

However, we need not be victims of our own emotions. Reactive jealousy can be a wake-up call to the reality of threats to a relationship, motivating you to take practical steps the strengthen it, and to show how important your partner is to you. It rests with each one of us to use this emotion positively, rather than allowing it to damage our relationships.

Trusted Book Reviews

We work with both traditionally published and “indie” authors who have self or independently published books and our mission is simple. It’s to discover new and talented authors and help them give their work the attention and awareness it deserves. We do this by providing professional and credible reviews which are respected by our readers. Our primary focus is on fiction across all genres, non – fiction with broad appeal and selected poetry.

  • Over 8000 Book Reviews And Counting
  • All Book Genres Reviewed
  • Books Reviewed In 14 Days Or Less
  • The Only Book Review Site To Offer A Book Review Guarantee
Romantic Psychological Fiction Novels

Romantic Psychological Fiction Novels

Cleverly plotted, beautifully characterized, dark and utterly compelling it’s clear from the start that Wojciechowski knows how to weave an intriguing narrative and she is quick to hit her stride to give us a haunting and idiosyncratic read with a savvy emotional payoff about taking chances and moving forward.

Read More »

Publishing Tips For Authors & Recommended Book Reviews

Space Opera Science Fiction
Book Reviews
Editorial Team

Space Opera Science Fiction

A gratifyingly graphic page-turner with depth, intrigue and nail-biting shocks, Williams leads his readers on an unforgettable journey into the heart of evil with Bon Voyage.

Read More »
Book Reviews
Editorial Team

Supernatural Graphic Novels

An evocatively powerful example of graphic storytelling using emerging media, multi multi-award-winning horror Novelist Gage has created a powerful and absorbing graphic novel using innovative AI-generated artwork.

Read More »
Financial planning books
Book Reviews
Editorial Team

Financial planning books

THE DOUGHERTY CODE Secrets of Financial Planning in Spain Revealed makes good on its promise to reveal the secrets of financial planning in Spain and is highly recommended!

Read More »
Book Reviews
Editorial Team

Psychological Thrillers

All the best psychological thrillers have an irreducible, inexplicable element, beyond their cleverness and craft and such is the hold Terror Bay has from its opening pages with Towles her flair for gripping twists with narrative style.

Read More »

Book Reviews That Readers Trust.

From humble beginnings in 2002 as a book review club BookViral has grown to become the first choice in book reviews for authors around the world and one of the biggest book review sites on the web. BookViral reaches millions of potential readers through best practice SEO and a trusted social media presence ensuring readers get unbiased, critical recommendations they can trust. 

BookViral also offers a full suite of author services, including, book editing services for unpublished and self-published authors, website design and bespoke SEO that help authors get discovered by more potential readers as well as industry influencers, such as publishers, agents and film executives. 

© Copyright 2019 BookViral Reviews. All Rights Reserved.