"Giving people time and a bit of distance"

[jmah]

Does the 'give people time and a bit of distance' really work when one is having problems in a relationship?
If you haven't officially broken up with someone, but they "need a little time", does it usually end up working out? Or during that time do they (most people, say) move on emotionally

Just curious if you had experienced this and how it ended.

[vashti]

It might depend on what kinds of problems you were having beforehand...