What are emotional cheating and its signs?

We always link infidelity to sexual intimacy with someone. But do you know that there are various ways of cheating in a relationship? Breaching trust in a committed relationship can come in many forms. There are so many cheating styles that are even more hurtful and painful than sex. Those are what emotional cheating and its signs do in a relationship.

Have you heard about emotional cheating before? What is it all about?

What is emotional cheating?

Emotional cheating is a type of infidelity where one partner shares emotional intimacy and connection with someone other than their partner. This connection crosses the boundaries of a healthy, platonic relationship and assumes a breach of trust within the primary relationship.

It also involves connecting secretly with someone besides your committed partner. Many people have attributed this type of cheating to an erotic way, even though it starts with no intention but the deeper you’re connected with that person, the more emotional it becomes.

Unnecessary closeness with other people

People experience this emotional cheating from their partners. Especially when they noticed unnecessary closeness and sharing information about their home with other people, for example, male or female friends, work colleagues, and even family members.

However, some of it can look healthy but can be considered emotional cheating. Some people are so close with their so call spiritual fathers and mothers and cannot do without discussing all their marital affairs with them. Some have close intimacy with their teachers or mentors but there should be a boundary and limits to everything.

It causes emotional cheating on your partner when you’re even doing it in a secret. Because of all the information you’re sharing with them, you cannot say it in the presence of your husband or wife. While it is healthy and normal for people to have friendships outside the marriage, an emotional affair threatens the emotional bond between partners and causes a disconnect.

Negative effect of technology on relationship

When you’re sending flattering messages to your business partner, before you know it, you will start to go deeper and share your personal information that they should not know about with them.

Moreover, technology has created different ways of cheating in our world today. The use of the internet and the easy way to connect with people around the world makes it easy for many people to involve in emotional cheating without realizing it.

People who engaged in this act are always saying we are just friends just to defend themselves. But are actually causing emotional harm to their partner. It’s one of the signals from what are emotional cheating and its signs.

How to know if your partner is emotionally cheating on you

How to know if you or your partners are engaging in this act is by seeing the negative impact that this has caused. Can you measure how the closeness you have with your friends, colleagues, or whatever affects the intimacy between you and your partner? Is the time you’re spending on your Facebook friends creating more gap between you? Does their connection destroy or strengthen your relationship? You have to put all this into consideration.

Do you think you’re doing it and how does this make your partner feel?

Personal assessment

Do you think you feel relieved anytime you’re connected with the other person apart from your partner? Do you feel guilty sometimes that you’re going too far with them than you expect? There are various ways to assess yourself if you’re engaging in emotional cheating.

What are the signs and examples of emotional cheating

1. When the other friend knows more than what you should know. They know the important details more than you.
2. After your partner connecting with the other person, it seems you’re not existing, and get irritated towards you.
3. It’s difficult for your partner to tolerate some little things within the relationship.
4. They always get comfort and relief from the other person whether you’re around or not.
5. Every time you have a conflict or misunderstanding, they often tend to connect with the other person and abandon you.
6. The rate of connection with the other person is at a high rate and they don’t see anything wrong with it.
7. Your partner is always comparing you and wishes you should be like the other person they’re connecting with.
8. They’re always receiving and exchanging gifts, even more, expensive than what your partner can give you.
9. Always hiding from you all the text messages, emails, and whatever from their phones, laptops, and computers.
10. They compare the other person’s emotional ability to yours.
11. Your partner’s sexual intimacy with you has reduced drastically.
12. You can realize that they are always disengaged during sex even though they want more.
13. Any time you talk about the other person, they act strangely.
14. They’re no more expressing their wants and needs to you.
15. They don’t communicate their personal issues with you any longer, you hear it from the other person.
16. Your partner is not interested in settling conflicts with you amicably until the third party comes in.
17. They often use those improper words for their connecting friend easily such as baby, honey, sweet, love you, miss you, charming, and sweetheart. But you’re struggling to hear them using those sweet words for you.
18. They don’t like you complaining about the other person. It’s like a taboo, they mock or ridicule you when such happen.

Sure examples of emotional cheating

19. They’re judgemental and aggressive towards you when you tell them to set boundaries with their connecting friend.

20. They tell you that you’re taking things too personally and are sensitive when it comes to the other person’s relationship issues.

However, we can not conclude that when it’s only 1 or 2 of these signs does not means that you’re experiencing emotional cheating. But if you can point out many of them, then we can say you’re really suffering from emotional cheating.

There could be other possibilities that something is wrong with your connection and intimacy between you and your partner. It’s an eye opening for you to do something fast and re-spark the fire, that will make you come closer and bond more.

Also read: 18 Ways On How To Deal With A Cheating Husband

5 Important Questions To Ask A Cheating Husband