Emotional Cheating Turns Out to Be Very Similar to Actual Affairs

There’s no denying that some partners cheat. If you’ve ever been screwed over, you definitely know how painful cheating is. It’s a situation that makes everyone feel awkward, to say the least. But it turns out there’s more than one way to be unfaithful. It’s not just when partners are intimate with someone else. There’s another way to cheat, and it’s just as nasty as the real deal.

Emotional Cheating Decoded

So, what’s emotional cheating? It’s usually described as an intimate connection between two people. Just like a physical affair, they keep their emotional relationship a secret from others. Some experts say it’s a “breach of trust” between partners.

It may look like a romantic thing, but the thing is that these “emotional buddies” are in a physical relationship with other people. While there’s nothing harmful in sharing stories with other people, things can start to get a lot more complicated when one of the partners starts seeking emotional support and/or connection with someone else without the consent of their significant others.

The Difference Between Physical and Emotional Cheating

What’s the big deal about sharing stuff with someone else? Many believe things may not look dangerous at all at the beginning. More often than not, emotional affairs start as platonic relationships but develop into something completely different. For example, two people working closely together may start sharing personal details about one another. After some time, the relationship may develop into talking over the phone, etc.

It’s worth noting that some emotional affairs eventually end up as physical ones. In fact, that’s more common (and normal) than you might think. As two people develop a deep connection, tension may start building up. Before the “couple” knows it, they may end up between the sheets.

What Counts as an Emotional Affair?

Okay, there’s no way to say, “that’s cheating, but this isn’t,” and believe it applies to every couple on the planet. On the contrary, what one couple considers appropriate may be going way beyond the boundaries of another. So, it pays to discuss what’s okay and what’s not for you as a couple. That way, you’ll know if you’re cheating on your significant other.

However, on a basic level, one could say all of the following would constitute emotional cheating: sharing good or bad news with someone other than your partner, seeking comfort in another, or doing things like deleting conversations after you’ve finished chatting.