You need to agree on how much you are going to communicate with each other and which rule applies best "out of sight, out of mind" or "absence makes heart grow fonder."

** Establishing Ground Rules **

Before you are separated by distance you have three basic things you need to ask each other so that you can figure out well in advance what actually constitutes a betrayal according to rules of your long distance relationship.

1. Are we going to be faithful to each other?

2. Are we allowed to have sex with other people, but remain in faithful in our hearts?

3. Does this separation allow us to explore other relationship options?

One option is to keep everything way it is -- whether you are five miles or 5,000 miles away from each other.

This way of thinking is very popular among young lovebirds, who have difficulty believing that their relationship could ever end.

They tend to believe that physical space between them will not affect solidity of relationship because their "undying" love for each other can surpass seemingly small obstacle of distance.

Unfortunately, this is not an option that often allows other person their essential humanity and it is a point of view that is considered immature by counselors or psychiatrists.

The "nothing has changed" approach is often a position of denial. Lots has changed, you are not physically together anymore!

Usually this type of denial applies to high school sweethearts who are separated because of necessity of attending different colleges.

If one or other partner slips up due to temptation (all it takes is a boozy night and a one-night stand) it is way too easy for other partner to take it personally.

The above example tells us that one of keys to keeping a long distance relationship is to keep your expectations realistic.

Know your partner by clearly communicating with him or her, but also, make sure that you know thyself! Know what you can tolerate and what is acceptable to you.

Long distance relationships based on humoring other person or making promises that you can't keep simply don't work. This will spare you feelings of betrayal, suspicion and jealousy that often set in after a couple of months of being apart.

Unfortunately sad truth about most long distance relationships is that they don't make heart grow fonder, they make heart grow harder.