Human beings are emotional and attentive creatures. So, it’s normal for adults to find other adults attractive or interesting, even when they’re in a committed and/or monogamous relationship with another person. However, there are limits to what’s acceptable and what’s completely over the line. While infidelity is typically related to physical contact in most minds, there are several types of potential spousal affairs that can cause even the strongest relationship to run off the tracks and burst into flames.
Physical Affairs
This is the most commonly thought of option when most people think of the word “affair”. A physical affair includes intercourse, and it may or may not extend to intimacy and emotional connection.
Emotional Affairs
Emotional affairs are often more damaging and destructive to marriages than physical affairs. An emotional affair may include sex, but that’s not always the case. Attachment, intimacy, and secrets are part of the status quo in emotional affairs. Spouses connect with someone else outside of the marriage and lean on them for support. Feelings arise between the two engaging in the emotional affair and a strong bond often forms, resulting in neglect on the home front.
One-Night Stand
No one has tripped over another person fully clothed and accidentally had sex. Affairs aren’t accidental events. But they’re also not always planned out either. Built-up passion, alcohol, emotional venting, and personal insecurities may be underlying factors. But whether the affair happened at work with a coworker, after an intense workout at the gym, or at a bar after a fight at home, a one-night stand is still an affair and one that could cause problems or repeated behavior.
Revenge Affair
Some people act out violently or in a volatile manner when they’re angry. If your partner acts like that, they may resort to cheating to make you pay for some perceived or actual transgression. That action may be a revenge affair, and it’s one of the pettiest and most dangerous things any supposedly loving partner can do to the other. A revenge affair often causes the other partner pain and makes them feel betrayed. More often than not, it’s the last nail in the coffin for the relationship. If you stay in the relationship after dealing with revenge sex, expect a rollercoaster ride from that point on, since that type of rush can become addictive to the cheating spouse.
Cyber Or Virtual Affair
Approximately 97% of Americans and 86% of people globally have access to their own cell or smartphone. While tech is an important part of life for connection, many people abuse or use it for nefarious reasons as well. Cyber or virtual affairs may start off innocent with such activity as a comment to a post or a friendly message. But those connections quickly develop into full-force relationships.
Cyber or virtual affairs often replicate the same or similar feelings of physical and emotional affairs. And since connecting online is easier, the affair can continue long-term or even be one of many your spouse is trying to juggle. Avoid the stress and let us do what we do best. Call us when you’re ready to hire a private investigator to get the answers you deserve.