Needing space versus taking a break
I have a friend who recently asked me for advice and I am now having doubts about the advice that I gave him. His girlfriend recently told him that she wanted some space, but didn't want to take a break from the relationship. I told him that was crap, that she is probably seeing somebody else but wants to keep him as a backup. That was my own experience with "space" in a previous relationship. But my friend is really serious about her and wants everything to work out, so he wants to give her the benefit of the doubt. Is it possible that needing some space is nowhere near as bad as taking a break? I feel like taking a break is like a trial breakup, and it's better to just rip the bandage off quickly instead of slowly. But maybe I'm just biased because I've been alone for awhile now. I don't think my friend is the clingy type, though, so it seems odd that his girlfriend would need space.