Emotional Affairs Explored and Explained so You Don't Have to Wonder

Relationships can be a tricky business, and there are many reasons that many relationships fail miserably. One thing is for sure, though - In order for a relationship to be healthy, both parties need to be able to trust one another.

We also know that love is the key fundamental aspect that makes a relationship great, it is what keeps it together when it enters stormy weather.

Yet for some reason relationships can crumble, and generally it happens due to affairs. We all know the normal definition of an affair, or at least we think we do. Most of the times when you think of an affair you automatically assume that the people having the affair are having sex.

Well, actually this isn't necessarily the case, as emotional affairs also exist.

What Exactly is an Emotional Affair?

It is is when your partner seeks out emotional comfort from someone other than yourself. Generally these types of affairs start with a mere friendship, but can quickly turn into something more.

The purpose of being in a relationship is to be able to share your life with your partner. When you seek the emotional comfort or the emotional involvement of a third party over that of your relational partner, you could step into the realm of emotional affairs.

Statistically speaking, men are more likely to engage in physical affairs, where as women are more likely to engage into emotional affairs.

Why Do these Affairs Occur?

Affairs normally occur when there is a lack of either physical or emotional substance within the relationship. The affected partner will then in turn try to fill the void of the relationship with someone else, someone who "understands" their situation.

As stated above, in the case of emotional affairs, it generally starts up as an innocent friendship that eventually will develop into an intimate emotional relationship. Even though there might not be any sex involved, it still does constitute as an affair.

When Does a Friendship Turn into an Emotional Affair?

When two people enter into a relationship it is generally because the person "gets you".

As your relationship grows you begin to learn more about the individual, what makes them happy and what makes them sad. In some cases though, people realize that the person who they "thought" they married turned out to be completely different in the end.

Hurt, confused and frustrated the affected partner might try to find someone who will listen, someone who will be there for them. As the affected partner spends more time with the "outsider", a new relationship is formed.

This still would not be considered as an emotional affair at this point.

The relationship turns into an emotional affair once the affected partner would rather spend time with the "outsider" than with his or her own partner, in other words using someone else to fill the emotional needs that are not met in the current relationship.

Gender really has little to do with emotional affairs, as physical attraction is not the prime motivator for the affair, but rather an emotional necessity is the driving force behind the decisions of the affected partner. Thus, when your partner spends more time with his or her friends than with you, and shares more intimate experiences with the "outsiders" than within the actual relationship, an emotional affair is not too far away.

How to Avoid Emotional Affairs

In order to avoid emotional affairs it is very important to maintain communication within your relationship. You have to be willing to listen to what your partner has to say, and truly be interested in the topics shared.

Even though you may not share the exact excitement emotionally for a particular topic, simply "being there" and "participating" in the experience will strengthen trust and emotional bonds between you and your partner.

Emotional Affairs occur when two people drift away and their deep needs are not met, as long as you meet the needs of your partner, you should be safe from falling victim to emotional cheating.

You can find more emotional affair definitions on my blog. We've prepared a nice little free guide for you detailing some more of the common signs you'll be bound to see when they're cheating emotionally.

Alternatively, if you're ready to skip to the actually catching of the affair, I'd recommend you check this out: Signs of Infidelity in Marriage

Either way you go, thanks for reading!

Signs of Online Cheating from How He Chats

It is amazing to think how far we have gone with technology these days. We are able to communicate with people from across the globe in real time, and information on any topic is easily obtained.

Phenomonal!

But what does all this technology mean in regards to our relationships?

Don't Blame Technology for Your Suspicions

Technology can actually be a real tool for building and maintaining a strong relationship with your spouse.

Some of the more positive impacts technology has on relationships is that when your partner is out of town, on a business trip for example, you can still stay in touch without any major problems.

Distance relationships also become a lot easier to maintain with technology such as Skype, MSN, Facebook and so forth. But technology, as many things on this planet, is a double edged sword.

When Technology Goes Sour

With the latest boom of online dating sites such as Match.com and others, the potential risk of cheating spouses increases dramatically.

Due to the heightened potential risks of online cheating we must learn to selectively filter what type of chats should be considered cheating, and what type of chats should be deemed as innocent. Hopefully the following information will give you a guideline to follow to distinguish the innocent from the not-so-innocent.

Instant Messaging - How Much is Okay in a Relationship?

Instant messaging is something that is very common in our world today, and it seems that it has been integrated into all forms of email, social networks and other software. However, when you are in a relationship there must be limits to whom your partner is communicating with and for how long.

For instance, if you are woman and your boyfriend is constantly cheating up other females online, how would you feel about it?

Would you be okay with your boyfriend talking to a blonde bimbo in Sweden, or a swim suit model in California?

Would you feel comfortable with your boyfriend talking into the wee hours of the morning with strange women from across the globe?

The answer most probably would be no, you would not feel comfortable at all. Don't think that you are out of line with this feeling, because if your boyfriend (or girlfriend for that matter) spends so much time online chatting away with strangers from the opposite sex, they could very well be cheating on you "virtually".

And Thus Was Born the 'Virtual Affair' - aka: Emotional Affairs Part II

Chatting, innocent as it may be, can definitely be considered as cheating when your partner spends more time speaking to the "virtual" person than with you. This in essence can be considered as an emotional affair.

The reason is because your partner finds greater satisfaction when communicating through the chat than with you. This means that there is definitely something wrong with the relationship.

When is it Cheating?

Generally emotional affairs happen when there is a lack of communication within the relationship and a deep emotional void is formed. The partner, instead of filling it with you, will find satisfaction by talking to someone else.

If this is the case, then it will definitely be considered cheating mainly because your fun.

You can find more signs of an online affair on my blog. We've prepared a nice little free guide for you detailing some more of the common signs you'll be bound to see when they're cheating.

Alternatively, if you're ready to skip to the actualy catching of the affair, I'd recommend you check this out: Top 4 Tracking Technologies Reviewed

Either way you go, thanks for reading!

Do You Suspect Adultery? Assuming the Worst May be the Secret to Survival

If you've ever found yourself suspecting that your spouse is cheating on you, then you already know how easy it is to fall into the pattern of denial.

It's easy to tell yourself that there's no way your spouse could be cheating.

It's easy to tell yourself that your gut feelings are just that...Gut feelings.

In fact, sometimes it's easier to tell yourself that it's YOUR fault that you suspect cheating than actually face the honest truth that your spouse may be cheating on you.

As you continue reading this article I'm going to plead my case. I'm going to tell you why it's better - both for you and your marriage - to assume your spouse is cheating rather than continue in your current state of denial.

3 Reasons to Assume the Worst - Your Spouse is Cheating

As I said, my goal isn't to make you feel bad with these tips, my goal is to help you reflect and open your mind up to the possibilities that are currently open in the future. You have a choice in how this all plays out, even if your spouse did cheat.

You Should Assume Your Spouse is Cheating Because the Statistics Say So

The sad fact is that there have been studies performed to prove how often a suspicious spouse is right about their worst fears.

They're discouraging, to say the least.

It's been said that a minimum of 50% of husbands who suspect cheating are actually correct, even if they don't know it yet. But that's not the worst of it...Nearly 85% of women have been statistically proven to have dead on intuition when it comes to suspecting a cheating spouse.

You Should Assume Your Spouse is Cheating Because it'll Better Prepare You Emotionally

You've heard the saying that 'time heals all wounds', right?

Well if you haven't, you're hearing it now.

It's actually surprisingly true, even if I wouldn't call anything after an affair a 'wound'...More like a total shattering of the heart.

But that's not the point, and I'm certainly not saying that you should just wait it out until your husband or wife decides to stop cheating - What I AM saying is that by accepting your spouse is cheating, you'll be able to more quickly move past the phase of denial and into the phase where you try to understand or at least come to terms with their affair.

Even if the best you can do is start thinking about what it COULD mean for your marriage if they're cheating, that simple exploration will help you down the road.

You Should Assume Your Spouse Because You'll Be More Able to Catch Cheating

In the end, one of the biggest reasons to assume the worst about your spouse is because it will put you in the state of mind in which your most likely to pick up on the subtlest signs of cheating. The absolute best state to be in is one of detachment / acceptance, and just start keeping an eye open for proof.

I know this might be jumping the gun a little bit...Don't worry, it's normal to be hesitant.

If you seriously suspect cheating, then you can not allow yourself to continue sitting on the fence about your suspicion. Either accept your spouse is cheating and start looking for proof SignsCheating.com/suspect/ is a great place to start!) and exploring whether or not you'd want to save your marriage, or drop your suspicions and focus on repairing your marriage.

Here's a great article to help you understand more about whether your spouse is unfaithful:

Recommended - Signs of Infidelity in Marriage

Whatever you decide to do from here, I wish you the best of luck.

What is Your Spouse Using to Keep Their Office Romance a Secret?

What if you knew exactly what your spouse is doing right now to hide their office affair from you?

Do you want to learn how to tell if your spouse is cheating on you at work? Do you want to learn what places to look for proof that he or she could be having an affair?

Then you have come to the right place!

For the rest of this article I'm going to be detailing exactly where your spouse is likely to be hiding proof that they are sleeping with another woman / man that they met through their place of employment.

Basically, I've broken this article up into four different parts describing the four different 'fronts' your spouse could be using to hide his or her activity from you.

Hiding Spot #1. His Company Email is Easy to Keep Secret

It is extremely easy for your spouse to hide any amount of communication from you when they have access to a private company email.

They can even give you a rock solid excuse as to why you're not allowed to see his / her inbox by telling you that it contains 'private company info' or something silly like that.

They can come up with any number of excuses, really, for you not to have access to this critical channel of communication

Even if you do find a way to get into this e-mail account, it extremely easy to delete or hide something that your spouse doesn't want you to see. However, if your spouse is part of an affair at work, than you can bet your bottom dollar that the company email is one thing he (or she) will be using.

Hiding Spot #2. Her Company Phone is 'Only for Work Calls'

Or at least, that's what they tell you when you ask to use it.

If your spouse is very touchy or sensitive when it comes to their company given cell phone, then chances are there could be something more than meets the eye.

Many times your spouse will prefer communicating on a company given cell phone rather than their own personal cell phone, because (s)he knows that you're less likely to look there for proof.

They also probably know that if you're going to install GPS tracking (many cheaters are paranoid about this at some point or another) that you would not want to do it on a company phone for fear of legal trouble down the road.

Afterall, as a married couple TECHNICALLY a personal cell phone is also part your property, so legally there's no problems tracking them, even unknowingly. However, a company phone is COMPANY property, and installing a tracking program is almost certainly illegal.

This is a huge advantage to your spouse.

Hiding Spot #3. Their Lunch Break is 'Only 30 Minutes Long'

This stereotypical lunch hook up is much more common than most people realize, especially when it comes to affairs at work.

Your spouse is probably telling you that they only have 20 to 30 minutes for their lunch break, but in fact there's nothing really stopping them from sneaking off for an hour or two, depending on their responsibilities as an employee.

In many jobs it's very easy to get away for up to an hour on your lunch break if you really wanted to, as long as you're not doing it too frequently. In fact, I remember working at a hospital that let us lower level employees (file management) get away with taking hour and a half lunch breaks!

Obviously this isn't directly relevant to you, I'm just using this as an example to let you know that even in this supposedly strict and regimented environment such as a hospital it's more than possible to sneak away during your lunch break for long periods of time...

Certainly long enough for an afternoon romantic rendevous.

Hiding Spot #4. The Office Christmas Party is 'Employees Only'

Any non-work-related office events are almost always a hot spot for employee-to-employee romance.

Just think about it - There's music in the air, you're feeling warm from the alcohol and that girl you've been eyeing in the cubicle next to you is coming onto you HARD.

What do you think is going to happen?

What ALWAYS inevitably happens between two people with chemistry once they get a little tipsy?

You guessed it. An affair is born.

Is There Any Way to Know For Sure?

Obviously the next question once you've identified the elements that your spouse COULD be using to enable an affair at work is...

How do you get proof? How do you confirm your suspicions and uncover the truth?

Well, it won't be easy. I can tell you that right now. In fact, you might be more confused now than you were when you started reading this article, but don't worry, that's not necessarily a bad thing.

It means that you're thinking...you're letting your mind wander to areas you had closed off before, because you didn't WANT to face what could be the truth.

This is a good thing! Albeit a painful, good thing.

Even though this article is almost over, I want to help you out. So this is what I'm going to do:

If you think that your spouse could legitimately be having an affair at work, then you owe it to yourself to further your investigation. I want to help you do exactly that, for free!

For free, you ask? Really? Yep. Just head on over to my dedicated affair-help blog if you suspect cheating!

Either way, thanks for reading!

Suspect that Your Husband is Unfaithful? Learn 5 Secret Tips

Would you like to know the truth about what your husband is doing behind your back?

Do you suspect that your spouse has been a little less than faithful to you and your marriage?

As you continue reading this article I'm going to be discussing 5 extremely common signs of a cheating husband that many women, for some reason, seem to miss.

Please keep in mind that none of the signs by themselves are 100% proof that your husband is having an affair, however, each criteria that he meets is one step closer to guaranteed that he's cheating.

If your husband meets any of the signs laid out here, be careful. Tread lightly, and make sure you know what you're getting yourself into.

But enough warnings, you know why your here, so let's get to it.

5 Common Signs of an Unfaithful Husband

Sign #1 - A Close Friend is Treating You Oddly

Although it doesn't always seem obvious, many times you can learn a lot about what your husband is doing behind your back from your own friends behavior.

Have they started treating you differently?

Does it seem like no one is ever looking you in the eyes anymore?

Have you been getting weird phone calls to the house from someone you thought was just an acquaintance?

Each of these could warn of an affair in their own way.

You should also examine any mutual friends between you and your spouse for odd behavior, since they are slightly more likely to know what's going on.

Sign #2 - His Email Password Changes (and He Won't Tell You What it is)

Although I don't want to get into the issue of sharing finances between spouses, one thing I do believe in is sharing access to email accounts and social media accounts, even if you don't share the accounts themselves. There's just no reason why you should have to hide your communication with other people from your spouse.

Many legitimate couples feel the same way as I do.

And in fact, I'd wager that at 1 point or another you learned your spouse's e-mail address password because they needed you to retrieve something for them when they couldn't get to a computer, or some similar situation.

So if out of the blue you realize that you don't know your husband's email password, when it wasn't that long ago that you DID know it (in other words it changed semi-recently), then watch out!

This could be a sign that your husband is being unfaithful.

Sign #3 - Your Husband Wants More Sex Than He Did Before

This is probably the sign of a cheating husband that the most women don't understand.

To us it may seem obvious that during an affair you would want to have less sex with your spouse.

After all, why would he be cheating at all if he was happy in your own bedroom?

Well, I can't say that it makes perfect sense, but for some reason lots of men tend to want MORE sex once they start having regular sex.

Really thinking about it, it makes sense.

I mean when was the last time that you felt as if your husband was genuinely satisfied with your sex Life?

Doesn't it always seem like he's just wanting more, more, more?

If not currently, then I'm sure you can think of a time.

Either way, any changes in the frequency of sexual intimacy should be carefully noted as they could point to other changes in your husband's sex life.

Sign #4 - Passionate About a Brand Spankin' New Hobby

Has your husband suddenly become obsessed with a new band? Maybe he's pulled out that all drum set from years back and has decided he wants to 'get back into it'?

Or maybe he's started caring about his clothes, or he's taken up lifting weights and eating healthy, or maybe even it's just a new obsession with FaceBook.

It could be anything, but the point is that it's new, and he's doing it a lot.

This probably means that the cause is some other social influence (besides yourself), and if you suspect cheating than this seems like an obvious clue.

Sign #5 - He Has a New Keychain

Okay, maybe doesn't have to be a new key chain, specifically. It could be any small trinket as long as it's something that he started carrying around with him recently.

You see, many times when two people engage in a secret extra marital relationship (an affair), they feel invincible, bold, and uncatchable.

So what do they do?

They get stupid, and they start carrying a small token with them as a reminder of their 'other lover'.

You'd be surprised how many men engage in this stupid habit during an affair, it's almost astonishing.

So if you notice that your husband has a new key chain, a new wallet, a new bracelet, or maybe something new hanging in his car, then this could be a secret gift from his lover.

Consider yourself warned.

Where To From Here? What About Actual Proof?

Okay, I know what's on your mind right now. You're thinking "Great, I have all these clues, the signs of a cheating husband, what do I do with them?"

"How do I actually CATCH him cheating?"

Well, as I'm sure you can imagine, it's much easier said than done. But don't worry, it's normal to have questions and it's normal to be confused. Be patient, take a time, and proof will come eventually.

That being said, here's what I'd like to do for you right now:

If you want more signs of a cheating husband or you'd just like to learn more about dealing with affairs in general, then head on over to my affair blog for all the free affair-help resources you could possibly need.

You can find it at SignsCheating.com and believe me, we've got you covered.

Whatever you do from here, I wish you the best of luck.

Thanks for reading!