Is it cheating even when it's not physical?

Infidelity is always assumed to be sexual.

The moment you utter the words ‘cheating’ or ‘infidelity’ people assume that the culprit has been involved in sexual transgressions with a third person. However, infidelity can also be emotional. In fact more often than not, it is emotional. Here, we break this down for you and explain this unfamiliar, yet highly prevalent, occurrence.

1. What is emotional infidelity?

Consider this: you are in a relationship. You love your partner and enjoy a healthy sex life. Yet, there is this one friend who you love to talk to everyday; she is that one person who you turn to in times of crisis or joy; she is the first person to come to your mind and you are always looking for ways to talk to her. If you find yourself in a similar situation, then you are committing emotional infidelity. Emotional infidelity is when we get emotionally close to a person who is not our partner.

2. The signs

When one is cheating or being cheated on, there are certain give-away signs that one can look out for. For one, your partner will stop sharing their feelings with you and will no longer confide in you. When you probe your partner, you will realise that there is nothing wrong with her, but still something integral has gone missing from your relationship. Less talking, not sharing of feelings, less conversations are all signs of emotional infidelity.

3. Why it’s more dangerous than sexual infidelity

A sexual transgression is a physical need and doing. When caught, it is relatively easier to no longer be physically involved with the person. However, the same does not hold true in case of emotional infidelity. When you are involved with someone emotionally, it is very difficult to tear away from the person. This inability to emotionally call it off results in divorces / break-ups because there can never be room for a third person in the relationship.

When in a relationship, it only makes sense to give it your 100%. However, if you do find yourself in a similar situation then you need to take things in hand before all hell breaks loose.