Emotional infidelity is also referred to as an emotional affair. This definition has been used by many scholars and researchers to explain various kinds of relationships where one partner may develop strong feelings towards another person outside their primary relationship which may involve sexual intimacy or other romantic activities.
Physical infidelity refers to relations between two individuals having sexual intercourse which are not based on any emotional ties. On the other hand, emotional infidelity is essentially different from the physical one. The primary aspect of this kind of cheating is that it resembles more of a love affair than just an act of infidelity but does not include any sexual intercourse as such.
This relationship can start from neutral friendships or colleagues at work but gradually move to more intimate relationships. This kind of infidelity may cause damage similar to that of physical cheating because it involves taking time, emotional resources and attention away from family life. Other effects like growing feelings of betrayal may also be felt.
Reasons Why Emotional Infidelity Is Often Overlooked
It may be very difficult to identify emotional Infidelity in relationships, unlike physical cheating that has clear differences. This nature is often what makes both the partner involved in it and the person engaging in it ignore or minimize its significance. Many individuals may find it hard to recognize emotional unfaithfulness due to the following reasons:
1. There is no bodily contact therefore, it may not seem like real cheating.
2. It frequently starts off as an innocent friendship or professional connection.
3. Society places more emphasis on sexual cheating enabling people to take lightly affective affairs.
4. Individuals’ and societies’ standards for affective closeness may differ widely.
Such couples may then experience trouble having conversations about emotional trustworthiness and hence establishing limits within romantic relationships. Nevertheless, it is important to recognize the signs and possible effects of emotional infidelity so as to maintain a healthy relationship between partners in any relationship.
Signs of Emotional Infidelity
Noticing emotional infidelity in a relationship is quite a hard task though there are some signs that may show its existence, they are:
1. Comparison and criticism: The unfaithful partner might begin to obviously compare their primary partner with the one they are emotionally attached to.
2. Defensive behavior: They would become responsive or aggressive when asked about their relationship with the other person.
3. Prioritizing the other relationship: They may go out of their way to spend time with or communicate with the other person, often at the expense of their primary relationship.
4. Fantasizing: They may often day dream or fantasize about the other person and what it would be like to live together.
5. Decreased intimacy: Within a primary relationship, there might be a significant decrease in the level of intimacy with their primary partner, both physical and emotional intimacy.
Identifying these signs early on in a relationship can enable couples to deal with this issue in good time before it gets out of hand causing irreversible damages that may lead to a break up or divorce.
Impact of Emotional Infidelity on Relationships
Emotional infidelity may have very drastic and long lasting effects on a relationship, which usually goes beyond the impact of just physical infidelity. The following are the ways emotional affairs outside object primary relationship may affect the relationship:
1. Trust breakdown: Directing all emotional Intimacy to someone else aside from your primary partner, may break down the foundation of trust in any relationship.
2. Less passion: If one partner puts more time into someone else other than the primary partner, the relationship might be affected negatively.
3. Inadequacy: The faithful counterpart could think that they are lesser, not beautiful enough and might start to question their self worth.
4. Resentment and rage: when all is said and done in such cases both partners may generally fight it out or live apart in silence.
5. Decline in love: As much as possible, any kind of a loving relationship often remains unsatisfactory considering the cheating partner’s emotional connection to someone else.
6. Possibility of going too far: If neglected for a long time, long-lasting attachments can sometimes emanate into physical relationships.
7. Identity crisis: The unfaithful spouse may find themselves confused about their feelings or commitment toward the primary relationship.
Emotional infidelity’s consequences may stay forever resulting in much effort over time, often including jobless help from specialists in the areas of psychology, relationship coaching or therapy.
Preventing Emotional Infidelity
Here are useful tips that can help you prevent emotional Infidelity in your relationship. Though it may be impossible to totally eliminate emotional Infidelity, but by doing the following couples may keep their marriage intact:
1. Communicate openly all the time: elaborate on what you feel whenever there is a need to talk about emotions, desires and worries with your partner.
2. Set clear boundaries: As partners do well to establish and agree on certain behaviors with which to relate with people outside the relationship.
3. Prioritize your relationship: Always make out time for each other and nurture your emotional connection. You can do this by creating a schedule to be intimate, your relationship should always be your priority.
4. Be aware of vulnerabilities: Always remember those times in your life when you could be more exposed to wrong or inappropriate emotional connections.
5. Address issues properly: Do not allow problems to linger in your relationship for a long time, resolve relationship problems as soon as they arise.
6. Maintain transparency: Be frank concerning how you relate with other people most especially those relationships that are gradually going beyond platonic levels.
7. Seek support: In cases where you may be experiencing tough times in your relationship, seek any available couple’s therapy or counseling nearest to you.
Couples can build strong relationships by improving emotional attachment, effective communication, seeking help when necessary, resolving issues e.t.c thereby building a healthy relationship that is less prone to be affected by emotional Infidelity.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, emotional infidelity is not an easy topic and it may have serious effects on relationships. In order to safeguard one’s relationship, emotional harmony and enjoy a fulfilling relationship, it is important for couples to know what this condition entails, notice the signs early in the relationship and act proactively to keep it at its minimum.
However, if such form of infidelity does occur in a relationship or marriage, it can be tackled or cured with commitment over time as well as professional aid which is sometimes required.
