Does Emotional Cheating Always Lead to an Affair?

You’ve noticed your spouse has pulled away.

They’re spending more time at work.

They’re going out with a friend after work.

Or maybe they’ve made a new friend of the opposite sex and are spending a lot of time with them.

You suspect they’re having an emotional affair.

Maybe even a sexual affair.

You might be wondering, does emotional cheating always lead to an affair?

Understanding Emotional Cheating

Emotional cheating occurs when one spouse establishes a connection with a person of the opposite sex. It’s important to know that most people who start an emotional affair don’t do it intentionally, and they don’t have physical infidelity in mind, at least not in the beginning.

It can happen quite easily, especially when people tend to spend more time at work than at home with their spouse and family. It’s easy to lose a connection if you only see your spouse on weekends.

And when those weekends are full of household chores, responsibilities and decisions – there’s little time left to “connect.”

However, maintaining that connection is important. It’s what holds a marriage together and gets you through the tough times. The good news is that an emotional affair doesn’t always lead to a sexual affair.

Emotional Infidelity Doesn’t Need to Become Physical

It’s true that when you forge a strong connection with another person it often leads to physical attraction. However, if the emotional cheating is recognized early on, there are steps you can take to get your marriage back on track before it is too late.

Step #1 – If you suspect your husband or wife is having an emotional affair, the first step is to assess your feelings about the affair and what you want to do about it.

If you want to save the marriage, then it’s essential that you consider your role in the marriage. It’s not about blaming yourself or your spouse. Rather, it’s about taking responsibility for mistakes and making a personal commitment to move forward.

Step #2 – The discussion. The next step is to discuss your suspicions with your spouse. Talk about how the disconnect has made you feel and what you’d like to do moving forward. At this point you’ll also want to get some feedback from your spouse. It’s important that both of you want to move forward together.

Step #3 – Make the decision to become a stronger couple. Once you’ve both come to terms with the status of your marriage and what you want for your future, it’s time to look at the process. You didn’t lose your connection overnight and it’s not going to be repaired overnight either.

The Three P’s to Overcoming Emotional Cheating

There are three requirements to overcome emotional cheating:

1. Patience
2. Persistence
3. Program

Trying to repair your marriage on your own is difficult. And counseling isn’t right for everyone. If you don’t feel like counseling is the right choice then seek alternatives. The right marriage repair program can help you find your way back to each other.

Step by step marriage programs or infidelity coaching, whether individually or together, can help you and your spouse build a stronger, happier and more satisfying marriage.