How To Prevent Emotional Infidelity
- August 6, 2009
- 7,313 Views
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Equilibrio Films, LLC
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Director of Photography
Christian Munoz-Donoso
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Producer
Jenn Ramsay
- Assistant Producer Kerry Baker
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Voice Over Artist
Samia Mounts
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Music
The Way It Is
- Actor Grace Shin Im
An affair of the heart can be every bit as painful – and sometimes even more so – than a physical one. Safeguard your relationship with these tips.
You Will Need
- Relationship radar
- Good communication
- Avoidance of temptation
Step 1
Know the difference between a platonic friendship and an emotional affair: The line’s been crossed if there’s continual sexual tension, secrecy, or an emotional connection you don’t share with your partner.
Step 2
Beware of the “office spouse.” If you’re the one with a sexually charged friendship at work, limit personal conversations and don’t allow the bantering to spill into after-office hours. If your mate seems to be getting too close to a colleague, remind them – without acting overtly insecure – to keep the relationship professional.
Step 3
Be alert for signs that a partner has a special online relationship: spending an inordinate amount of time on their computer, or changing their screen when you enter the room. If this is the case, be blunt about your suspicions. That may be enough to nip it in the bud.
If you’re the one getting frisky with an online friend, ask yourself if your partner would be upset to read your e-mail or instant messages. If the answer is “yes,” you’re already cheating.
Step 4
Keep tabs on emotional intimacy. If your partner is not confiding in you like they used to, it’s possible they’re talking over their problems with someone else. If you’re the one revealing private thoughts elsewhere, try to reconnect on that level in your relationship.
Step 5
Know the reasons people cheat, even if it’s just in their heart: loneliness, the need for attention, sexual frustration, and a desire for romance. Making an effort to keep things happy at home can reduce the chances that either partner will go outside the relationship.
Step 6
If you find yourself physically attracted to someone, whether it’s a colleague, an old friend who’s resurfaced, or an online buddy, don’t pursue a deep friendship with them – you’ll be playing with fire. If it’s your partner who’s giddy around someone who’s “just a friend,” tell them to find friends they don’t have a crush on.
Emotional affairs that turn sexual are more likely to end a marriage than affairs that start out purely physical, according to research.
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Comments (1)
1: Don't rely on an online video to tell you when the 'line has been crossed'. It's up to each couple to decide where the boundaries of their relationship lie and what they're comfortable with.
2: If you like someone you work with, there's no need to 'keep the relationship professional'. There's no reason why you can't be friends as well.
3: Both of these things could be signs of an affair, but you should be communicating with your partner on a sufficiently deep level that you realise there are problems with the relationship *before* you notice suspicious behaviour. If you rely on spotting your partner hiding things from you in lieu of having a rapport with one another, you already have problems which paranoid and suspicious behaviour is only going to exacerbate.
4: This one is actually true, but again, the important thing is what they say to you, not what they're saying elsewhere. There's nothing wrong with confiding in your friends when your partner is distant or just busy; but the fact that they are distant is a problem in itself.
Well that's enough being uprfont. I'm going to start being sarcastic now.
5: HURR DURRR you think? I don't know what we'd do without you to advise us.
6: If you do find yourself telling your partner who they're allowed to be friends with, let me know how