Generally, when we talk to cheating it is thought to be having an affair, one night stand, and virtual sex. But it is not always necessary that cheating has to be an affair or sexual relationship. Many times cheating is about breaking trust and cheating a person emotionally.
What is emotional cheating?
Emotional cheating means when your partner has secretive closeness with someone else. With whom your partner shares everything other than sexual intimacy. This bond with other person is so special that it weakens bond with primary partner. In emotional cheating it is not at all necessary that your partner has a romantic relationship with someone. In most cases of emotional cheating people only have a non-romantic bond with other person. This other person or someone can be a friend, colleague, teammate, boss, teacher anyone.
Emotional cheating looks healthy from outside and this makes it difficult to identify. Even it is difficult to question or confront your partner in case of emotional cheating. Because a partner justifies by saying “There is nothing wrong and talking to a close friend”, “I can’t even share my feelings with my friends”, “We are close friends, please”, “my friend is only supporting me”, “You don’t have time to listen to me” etc.
These statements are able to justify emotional cheating very well. In fact, these statements are sufficient enough to bring feeling of guilt in confronting partner. That is why emotional cheating is difficult to be diagnosed.
With increasing virtual connections emotional cheating is also increasing. Because you can connect with any of your friend any time.
Emotional cheating signs:
- Your partner shares feelings with someone else and not you
- If you try to share or talk your partner gets irritate
- There is no talk and frustration, anger and fights in your relationship on daily basis
- Your partner finds you irritable and gets comfort with other person
- They are always busy in chatting or talking to that other person
- Your partner shares your relationships conflicts with other person for solution
- They always compare and wish you to be like this other person
- They change password of phone and laptop and hesitate in sharing with you
- They hide emails, messages and chats from you
- You can see an increase in phone chats engagement in your partner
- Your partner is continuously detaching from you after meeting that other person
- Less sex frequency
- No pleasure while doing sex
- No communication with you regarding important decisions
- No interest in resolving fights with you
- No deeper talks or sharing feelings with you
- They make you feel bad or guilt if you try to question their relationship with other person
- There is no involvement with you which was there before the outsider came
- Whenever they talk to you try to talk about the other person
- Your partner has stopped express their feelings and love
- Your partner likes to spend alone time with phone
If you find these emotional cheating signs relatable then you and your partner should definitely go for professional couple counseling or couple therapy.