Why and how do you use LovingFromADistance?

[Mutavu]

Hey everyone,

I'm new on LovingFromADistance. I am doing a research in the field of digital anthropology. As I am in a long distance relationship myself, I want to focus on online behaviour of LDR couples. I'm interested in reasons and motives for the use of consultation websites like LovingFromADistance.
Let me first introduce myself so we can talk on eye level - I don't want to be a lurker.
I'm from Germany and my SO is from Rwanda. We first met in July 2014 and met three times since then. I was looking for technical advice for LDR couples coz skype wouldn't work for us most of the time. That's how I found LovingFromADistance.
I would like to know how you all came to LovingFromADistance and how you benefit from the website. You can simply narrate your experience or use the following questions as an orientation. I'm very grateful for your answers!

How did you first find Lovingfromadistance?
Why do you visit Lovingfromadistance?
Was there a certain incident that made you look for relationship advice online?
Which aspects of your relationship have been influenced by the contents of Lovingfromadistance?
Which other love guides or sources for advice do you use (online or offline)?
Do you produce content on your own (Love letter gallery, A day in the life...)?
How do you tell your story or show pictures of your LDR on social media?

[MissingMyDutchLove]

How did you first find Lovingfromadistance?
A google search when I was at my lowest of lows brought me here.

Why do you visit Lovingfromadistance?
When I first started on LFAD, I didn't know anyone else in a LDR. It was so nice to have people understand what I was going through. Now, I enjoy the community here and being able to help newbies with their LDR journey.

Was there a certain incident that made you look for relationship advice online?
I didn't look for advice, I just wanted to talk to someone about how shitty I was feeling that day. I felt like no one understood, so that's why I looked for the site.

Which aspects of your relationship have been influenced by the contents of Lovingfromadistance?
I feel like LFAD really helped me find my rhythm within a LDR. I joined after I was already LD, but I didn't know a lot of the coping mechanisms that I learned here. It really helped shape how we do LD and to be able to appreciate how being in a LDR has shaped my life and our relationship for the better.

Which other love guides or sources for advice do you use (online or offline)?
I tend to only use my friends and family for advice. I trust their reasoning and that they have my best interests at heart. However, it's been nice knowing people through LFAD that just "get it" and are able to instantly relate.

Do you produce content on your own (Love letter gallery, A day in the life...)?
Nope.

How do you tell your story or show pictures of your LDR on social media?
I really don't. I consider myself a pretty private person as far as social media goes (which is funny because I basically spill my heart out on LFAD). We very rarely post any pictures or anything like that on facebook or other social media, so I would say that I tell my story more in person than online.

[Honour]

How did you first find Lovingfromadistance?
Google search for advice sites when I was with my ex-SO, but been coming back ever since on and off.

Why do you visit Lovingfromadistance?
Habit? lol. I like reading the forums, hearing people's stories, see advice given and give others advice. Met some nice people here too, and we have a Penpal excursion ongoing between some members.

Was there a certain incident that made you look for relationship advice online?
There have been times in the past when I've needed advice.

Which aspects of your relationship have been influenced by the contents of Lovingfromadistance?
Hmm, good question. I think some of the advice I've seen and received here has had some influence on me.

Which other love guides or sources for advice do you use (online or offline)?
I don't really use any other guides, parents help me somewhat and the occasional friend's advice. That's it though.

Do you produce content on your own (Love letter gallery, A day in the life...)?
No.

How do you tell your story or show pictures of your LDR on social media?
I don't. Practically no one on my Facebook knows I'm in an LDR, but I might change that in coming months little by little. Asides from here, few know the truth. I'm a very private, aloof person and prefer to keep that.

[kittyxuchiha11]

How did you first find Lovingfromadistance?
I watched a long distance couple on youtube and they bought LKND bracelets and left a link tot he website saying it was a really good site and stuff, and the rest is history.

Why do you visit Lovingfromadistance?
I like being part of a community and there are some lovely people on here. Honestly i just like reading about other peoples lives as mine is incredibly boring, and of course talking to people in the same situation as me.

Was there a certain incident that made you look for relationship advice online?
Not really, I was just part of the forum and have never used it for advice, i just like to start conversations.

Which aspects of your relationship have been influenced by the contents of Lovingfromadistance?
I've seen some advice i've applied to my relationship but that's all really, this is something i just like to do it doesn't really affect my relationship.

Which other love guides or sources for advice do you use (online or offline)?
I only recently discovered LDR magazine and they have cute printable stuff and some interesting articles so i've used them i guess.

Do you produce content on your own (Love letter gallery, A day in the life...)?
Not really.

How do you tell your story or show pictures of your LDR on social media?
No one on facebook knows anything really apart form that i'm in a relationship and that i'm going to met her in June. On tumblr I have a page on my blog dedicated to my SO, so people can see her blog and stuff, and we have a blog together on tumblr just for us to share something and show what our relationship is like through our posts. tumblr is about the only social media i do though so yup.

[CanadianGirl]

How did you first find Lovingfromadistance?
A Google search for a list of things to do while in an LDR. I found the forums later by chance.

Why do you visit Lovingfromadistance?*
Friends and family don't understand how being in an LDR affects you and the impact on your life. It's nice to have company.

Was there a certain incident that made you look for relationship advice online?*
Nope, just curious how exactly others made long distance work for them.

Which aspects of your relationship have been influenced by the contents of Lovingfromadistance?*
Gives me a place to vent and it helped get me pointed in the right direction when we started to think about the big move. The effect on him is indirect and I rarely talk about the site with him.

Which other love guides or sources for advice do you use (online or offline)?*
None.

Do you produce content on your own (Love letter gallery, A day in the life...)?*
Nope.

How do you tell your story or show pictures of your LDR on social media?
I don't. It's exhausting explaining my relationship to others and I never felt the need to proclaim it. We did have each other in our Facebook relationship status, but we both eventually quit Facebook almost entirely.

[R&R]

How did you first find Lovingfromadistance?
I did a Google search looking for gift ideas for LDR’s

Why do you visit Lovingfromadistance?
I like being able to help out if I can and other parts of the site where you can just post how you feel or play games, etc.

Was there a certain incident that made you look for relationship advice online?
I wasn’t looking for advice. I’ve been in LDR’s before an LDR was even considered a “thing”, so being in an LDR was normal for me.

Which aspects of your relationship have been influenced by the contents of Lovingfromadistance?
Some of the gift ideas, such as Open When Letters, I’ve actually done. I’ve also seen people struggling who live in different countries and all they have to do just do visit and it makes me appreciate my relationship even more.

Which other love guides or sources for advice do you use (online or offline)?
None really. I talk to my friends which I would also do in a CD relationship

Do you produce content on your own (Love letter gallery, A day in the life...)?
Nope

How do you tell your story or show pictures of your LDR on social media?
My family & friends on IRL & on FB know about my relationship and that we live in different states. There are plenty of pictures of me and my SO from his visit here and all my visits there. My family has met him and some of my friends as well. Nobody really sees it as unusual or any big thing that we live 1,000 miles apart.

[Ella85]

How did you first find Lovingfromadistance?
A google search for long distance relationships.
Why do you visit Lovingfromadistance?
I visit because people here understand. I like the community. I like reading other peoples stories and hearing how they are doing. It's nice when there are some regulars that post about how things are going with them and I like to check up and see how they are doing too.
Was there a certain incident that made you look for relationship advice online?
I was looking for somewhere to go that other people understood. It wasn't so much advice but support I was after.
Which aspects of your relationship have been influenced by the contents of Lovingfromadistance?
People on here give advice from diffirarent POV which is great.
Which other love guides or sources for advice do you use (online or offline)?
I don't.
Do you produce content on your own (Love letter gallery, A day in the life...)?
Not sure what that means, so probably not.
How do you tell your story or show pictures of your LDR on social media?
I am a really private person on social media. I am the type of person that will communicate more on a one to one bases with people about what is going on with me. The only thing I do share on social media is photographs from visits.

[whatruckus]

How did you first find Lovingfromadistance?
I think I was looking for quotes and pictures that had to do with being in an LDR, and being in a relationship in general, and stumbled upon the site. Also, I was looking on Pinterest on how to do Open When Letters. Then I found saw the forum and saw that people were actually active on it and joined.

Why do you visit Lovingfromadistance?
At first, it was for advice. Now, it's to give advice and make new friends...which I've done.

Was there a certain incident that made you look for relationship advice online?
Yes and no. At the time I joined, we were going through a rough patch. I noticed he kind of changed when he started his new job.

Which aspects of your relationship have been influenced by the contents of Lovingfromadistance?
It helped me realize I wasn't the only going through certain things, so pretty much all aspects.

Which other love guides or sources for advice do you use (online or offline)?
Friends mostly. And, a few books about PTSD, Love Languages, PTSD support sites, other relationship sites.

Do you produce content on your own (Love letter gallery, A day in the life...)?
Nope.

How do you tell your story or show pictures of your LDR on social media?
Facebook and this site. But, I don't post much about it any more since we're on a break.

[80anthea]

How did you first find Lovingfromadistance?
I can't actually remember but I think it was from a google search of 'long distance relationships'. I had started talking to my SO and we'd decided to try and make a relationship work but I was sceptical about the distance to begin with so I wanted to read other people's stories.


Why do you visit Lovingfromadistance?
Mostly out of boredom and a desire to be with others in the same situation to be honest. LDR's can be lonely, I have a young daughter so can't get out much so the internet is my social life!


Was there a certain incident that made you look for relationship advice online?
Like I said, reassurance at the start of our relationship.


Which aspects of your relationship have been influenced by the contents of Lovingfromadistance?
Visa advice mainly and reminder that people do make it.


Which other love guides or sources for advice do you use (online or offline)?
Friends in real life.


Do you produce content on your own (Love letter gallery, A day in the life...)?
Nope

How do you tell your story or show pictures of your LDR on social media?
We met on a forum so that place has really been the main place we've told our story as it's where our mutual online friends are. My SO doesn't really do social media and I recently deleted my main FB account so there isn't much on there.

[BaconGirl05]

How did you first find Lovingfromadistance?
I was looking at tips for long distance relationships. At the time, I was with my SO and I was looking on ways to cope after a visit.

Why do you visit Lovingfromadistance?
Coming here helps remind me that I'm not alone. Long distance is hard, and sometimes it's just nice to see that other people are in the same boat as me. I also like to give advice to those who are looking for it.

Was there a certain incident that made you look for relationship advice online?
I've been in my ldr for quite awhile now, but at the time I just wasn't sure how I was going recover after visiting my SO.

Which aspects of your relationship have been influenced by the contents of Lovingfromadistance?
A bunch of things. I get cute gift ideas, I get other perspectives on ldr's, and I've gotten a lot of insight about visas and the visa process.

Which other love guides or sources for advice do you use (online or offline)?
Mainly family and friends. Sometime's I'll look at blogs.

Do you produce content on your own (Love letter gallery, A day in the life...)?
No

How do you tell your story or show pictures of your LDR on social media?
On Facebook, I have mostly close friends and family (both his family and mine). So they already know about the situation. I'll post pictures of us occasionally, but I don't go crazy with it. I don't really talk about my relationship unless someone asks about it.

[Chris516]

1. How did you first find Lovingfromadistance?
I was looking for support from people in similar(or semi-similar) situations.


2. Why do you visit Lovingfromadistance?
I like to read about how the relationships of other members are progressing. Because, The notion of 'loving from a distance' is not as shunned, as it once was.


3. Was there a certain incident that made you look for relationship advice online?
I was in a long distance relationship with a woman. Who I loved dearly. But communication was becoming a problem. Where I wouldn't hear from her for weeks


4. Which aspects of your relationship have been influenced by the contents of Lovingfromadistance?
Advice on how others cope sometimes.


5. Which other love guides or sources for advice do you use (online or offline)?
Just this website. Because, This type of relationship is still shunned in the public as being too hard. So, Getting support elsewhere is hard to find.


6. Do you produce content on your own (Love letter gallery, A day in the life...)?
Nope

7. How do you tell your story or show pictures of your LDR on social media?
I keep it off of social media. So it doesn't become fodder for unrelenting criticism.