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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Emotional affair sounds made up and is amorphous and abstract enough to be totally different in the eye of the beholder. Unless there is planning to break up the existing marriage, sexting, or plans to meet up for sex, no rubicons have been crossed.  If you react like it was a real affair, you risk pushing the partner into a real affair. [/quote]

Not OP, but: Clearly you have never had any experience of an emotional affair even as an observer, much less a participant. They're real things and can be almost as damaging as sexual affairs. You're right about one thing, though: After an EA is uncovered or admitted, the cheater and their spouse has to proceed with caution to avoid pushing the two cheaters back together again.

You seem focused solely on sex as a "real affair." But emotional affairs violate the intimacy of the marriage, and intimacy is not merely about sex. Intense intimacy without sex can be as big a betrayal, or bigger, than a sexual betrayal, for some people. You might want to learn more so you aren't so dismissive:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/nov/01/emotional-infidelity-the-devastating-destructive-love-affairs-that-involve-no-sex-at-all
There is no paywall so anyone should be able to access this article. [/quote]

Thanks for posting.  The article convinced me that emotional affairs are BS.  An emotional affair between two straight women!  It sounds like there are two offenders in every emotional affair: the oversharer and the jealous partner.

The world is going to hell based on the view that there are multiple conflicting truths/facts and multiple realities that exist at the same time.  There is no objective truth, facts are based on feelings and beliefs.  So if a spouse thinks there’s an emotional affair, it must be true![/quote]

Believe whatever works for you, then. Therapists and couples counselors will say that yes, there is such a thing as an emotional affair. Your approval or disapproval of the concept is meaningless to those who have experienced this--and meaningless to the professionals who deal with couples going through it. But you're living in the real world, with zero "conflicting truths," so enjoy your self-righteousness all you like! [/quote]

Perhaps if everyone stopped labeling this as something that is equivalent or *worse* than an actual affair, people embroiled in a situation wouldn’t feel so much pressure to “heal”.  At the core, which is backed by the guardian article, is that a person confides in someone other than their partner.  Perpetuating this as inappropriate only creates more problems.  Calling it an “affair” radically mischaracterizes it and is extremely alarmist.  It also artificially induces jealousy by cooking up controversy that may not otherwise exist.

People are either committed and trusting in their relationship or they aren’t.  And trust is a two way street.  Marriage is about monogamous romantic and sexual relationship - not forbidding close friendships.  What a toxic idea.[/quote]

+10000[/quote]

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