Psychologytoday iconPsychologytodaySep 23, 2026

Why Can the Sex Be So Good in a Bad Relationship?

Sometimes the sex is incredible even when the relationship is a mess. Research may help explain why the two can go together.

Why Can the Sex Be So Good in a Bad Relationship?

Share this story

Send the public story page.

Useful takeaways from this story.

Sometimes the sex is incredible even when the relationship is a mess.

Sometimes the sex is incredible even when the relationship is a mess. Research may help explain why the two can go together.

Building the complete brief

The page is ready to read now. The fuller skim-friendly version will appear here automatically.

The useful part

Sometimes the sex is incredible even when the relationship is a mess. Research may help explain why the two can go together.

How it works

Details worth keeping

Sometimes the sex is incredible even when the relationship is a mess.

Keep reading in the app

Open the app view to save this story, compare related coverage, and continue from the same source.

Open in app