The topic of emotional infidelity is a very common one in therapy. Sometimes the topic comes up because one spouse has a friendship with someone of the opposite sex that their other spouse feels is inappropriate…lots of texting…hanging out at work too much…grabbing lunch together. And more often than not the topic of emotional infidelity comes up because we are now dealing with sexual adultery that initially started off with emotional infidelity.

In the article Emotional Infidelity, The Silent Marriage Killer, this issue of emotional infidelity is addressed, and thankfully, Kenyon Knapp and Mayi Dixon will be presenting a workshop on this topic at the Better Marriages Conference in Raleigh, N.C. on July 11-14.

The author of the article writes:

Many couples are under the misconception that infidelity only occurs when a man and a woman have sex together. Yet, there are other forms of infidelity such as emotional infidelity. This type of infidelity is important to address because it can possibly be more damaging than the act of sexual infidelity.

So what does emotional infidelity look like?

Check out some of the warning signs from the above article:

Warning Signs

How can one determine if he/she is at risk of committing emotional infidelity? Here are a few signs:

  • Establishing a relationship with someone of the opposite sex that is private from ones spouse.
  • Excessive texting, calling, or online communication such as social media, chat rooms, or instant messengers.
  • Lunch or dinner dates that are secret in nature (without the spouse’s knowledge).
  • Talking on the phone in private, leaving the room, or closing down computer screens when one’s spouse enters.
  • Disclosing personal information about a marriage, especially if one is unhappy, to strangers of the opposite sex.