Is It Unfaithful if Nothing Physical Happened? Exploring Emotional Infidelity & the Fallout
What is Emotional Infidelity?
Emotional infidelity is the result of finding an emotional attachment to another person outside of your relationship. It occurs when a bond is formed with another person, extending past the friendship mark but not extending to anything physical.
It can be something as simple as confiding in another about any issue going on, then transitioning to a more intimate friendship. Over a period of time, this bond becomes even stronger, something more than a platonic relationship.
What are the Signs of Emotional Infidelity?
There are warning signs that can indicate a problem on the horizon or an already existing emotional infidelity situation.
Emotional Distance
When one partner is less interested, whether spending quality alone time together or partaking in usual couple activities, it can be a sign that connection is being sought elsewhere. This is especially true when there is an emotional distance being felt. Potential red flags are short responses, low engagement, and disinterest in conversing.
Increased Secrecy
Another sign of an emotional connection elsewhere is a sense of secrecy about life happenings. Humans are social beings and communicating about thoughts, feelings, important moments, and desires is a normal part of life. Not wanting to engage in that type of communication with a partner can be cause for concern that it is being fulfilled elsewhere.
Reduced Sexual Intimacy
Life has its ups and downs with busy schedules and stressors. At the end of the day, sexual intimacy is an important part of a relationship, whatever that looks like for you. As the emotional connection to another person grows stronger, it could cause a rift in the physical intimacy someone has with their partner.
What Impact Can It Have on a Relationship?
While nothing physical has happened, emotional infidelity can have significant consequences, possibly ending a relationship.
Every couple will look at what constitutes emotionally cheating on someone differently. Some may view flirting as a form of cheating. Others may draw the line at being close friends with someone who could be seen as “competition” in the relationship. While emotional infidelity is cheating, some people may find it less problematic than a physical affair.
Whether the other partner finds out or not, there is the likelihood that the behavior change will alter the shape of the relationship as it is. Trying to hide a situation can cause the acting partner to feel shame, fear, and guilt, which may become noticeable.
Finding out about an emotional infidelity can lead to insecurity, distrust, jealousy, and betrayal. Over time, this can be very harmful and even destructive to a relationship.
Can Emotional Become Physical?
That’s a hard question to answer, and we can’t give a “yes” or “no” answer. Emotional infidelity doesn’t always shift into a physical relationship. Sometimes, a person might not necessarily seek a connection with someone else because they crave physical intimacy. They can feel disconnected from their current partner and just want to talk to someone who they feel gets them on a deeper level.
Can You Recover From Emotional Infidelity?
Recovering from any cheating, while not easy, is not entirely impossible. Cheating can break the trust in a relationship, but if both partners want to continue their relationship, it is plausible to recover. If your relationship suffered because of emotional infidelity, don’t hesitate to reach out to learn more about couples therapy to help you move forward together.