Once you told people about your online relationship, they probably either laughed it off, or said that it’s not going to be worth it to wait all this time and spend all this money just to see someone for a few day. They may even have told you that it’s all a fake and you shouldn’t pursue it.

Sometimes, people can be downright mean and insulting, or just not supportive. Sure, pursuing an online relationship is different than the norm. But it doesn’t make your love inferior to others who’ve been in a local relationship.

Just because you are dating someone online doesn’t automatically make that person a fake. Look at all the cases where people who’ve been in local relationships have been hurt, lied to and betrayed. They may have even found out their partner has had a secret life.

The same risks that occur in an online relationship, also occur in a local relationship. An online relationship is the same thing as a local relationship. The only part that is different, is of course, the distance, and the fact that you can’t physically be together as often as you’d like.

Sometimes it may take a while for those around you to warm up to the idea of your online relationship. You just have to assure them that you’re being smart about it, and know the warning signs of whether this person is real or not. Maybe you can even get them involved with you and your partner.

Have skype dates where your partner can talk to your friends or members of your family, and you can meet your partner’s family and friends. That way, if they get to know your partner, it’ll help them feel more secure when you and your partner decide to meet up in person.

Online relationships are almost the same as close proximity relationships. You’ll share memories, talk, “hang out” on skype, get to know each other, be involved in each other’s lives. Just make sure you don’t cause a lot of drama with the people you love, because you don’t want to lose your friends for someone who may not turn out to be right for you after all.

Keep your friends and family close, keep them involved, that way they can help you if things start to go wrong or if you ever have trouble. If they are not willing or accepting at first, keep talking to them and give them information about your partner as if you were talking about someone you met down the street.

Make your partner seem real to others, and then once you two are together, your family and friends will eventually realize that something good may come for you of this online relationship after all.