You may have recently been introduced to the term entanglement following Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s recent red table talk. The couple openly discussed the personal struggles they faced within their relationship. It may have you thinking, am I in an entanglement? Whether you’re curious to know more about this term or feel like you could be in a sticky situation, here’s how to deal with an entanglement.

What is An Entanglement? 
In the dictionary, an entanglement is defined as “a complicated or compromising relationship or situation.”. Will and Jada described their entanglement as a time when Jada had a relationship with another man while she and Will had separated amicably. But entanglements are often seen similar to affairs as they take one partner away from the other emotionally. An entanglement could refer to many different and unique scenarios regarding relationships. Still, ultimately an entanglement is when you are “involved, entangled with someone else and distracted from your primary relationship.”

Here’s How To Handle An Entanglement 
Choose Your Battles Wisely 
When discussing their entanglement, Will and Jade explained how they initially didn’t address the situation when it was brought to light in the media. They initially felt it wasn’t ‘a battle worth fighting.’ However, they later decided to openly address it once they had dealt with the issue themselves. You should always choose your battles wisely and resolve the situation. If it is worth the conflict or potential damage, you should bring it up and confront it.

Address At The Right Time and Place 
Once you’ve decided the battle is worth fighting, you should choose the right time and place to have a conversation with your partner about the entanglement. Whether you suspect they are entangled with someone else, or you are in an entanglement, you should face up to the reality of the situation as complicated or messy as that might be.

Be Open and Honest 
Although it’s easier said than done, especially when intense emotions are involved, you should always be as open and honest as possible to be able to move forward in your relationship. Try to consider both sides and motives before jumping to any conclusions. Listen to one another to see how you’re able to effectively deal with the entanglement without your relationship potentially breaking down.