Does infidelity always have to be physical?
What does infidelity mean? Does sex always have to be involved or can an emotional connection outside of the partnership also be interpreted as infidelity? Here we show which questions you can ask yourself in order to correctly interpret emotions and how to deal with infidelity.
When does infidelity start?
Perhaps a third person is more attractive or understanding than your partner. If you then still have a lot to do with this friend, very open and personal things may come up, such as problems or disappointments in the partnership . You get along, look forward to seeing each other, and find each other attractive. In this way, an emotional connection and infidelity can develop without your intention and without your partner noticing.
Constant arguments with the partner can also damage the relationship and make it prone to cheating and infidelity. Partners should observe a few rules so that arguments do not escalate. In our article How Much Fighting Is Healthy for the Relationship? ” we put these together.
Avoid infidelity and empathize with your partner
In conversations in person, over the phone, or online with the other person, breaches of trust and infidelity could occur unknowingly. Of course, friendship with this person builds an emotional closeness that is good for you. But if you don’t want to jeopardize your relationship and don’t want to be tempted to be unfaithful, you should make sure that certain intimate things are not revealed outside of the partnership. Put yourself in your partner’s shoes and ask yourself: How would I feel if my partner talked to their co-worker about our sex life?
recognize infidelity
It’s always dangerous when you fool yourself. Denying romantic feelings is usually the first step toward infidelity. You should ask yourself the following questions as a test:
- Do I have secrets from my partner when it comes to this particular friendship?
- Would I mind if my partner hears our conversations?
- How would I feel if he had a similar friendship?
Be honest with yourself and your partner about infidelity
You should answer these questions about infidelity honestly, because this is the only way you can find out for yourself whether there are deeper feelings in this friendship. In such a situation you have to make it clear to yourself what your own partnership still means to you. If you are not willing to jeopardize this, you should perhaps first gain some distance from the friendship. Of course, it can also be the case that this is the first time you recognize your own infidelity and realize that the partnership is no longer important enough and that you have grown apart. In this case, it is recommended that you speak openly with your partner about the infidelity. After that, both are free to break new ground.