{"id":17447,"date":"2018-09-24T01:00:59","date_gmt":"2018-09-24T08:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/datemixstaging.wpengine.com\/?p=17447"},"modified":"2021-05-31T10:59:21","modified_gmt":"2021-05-31T17:59:21","slug":"emotional-affair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zoosk.com\/date-mix\/relationship-advice\/emotional-affair\/","title":{"rendered":"The Blurry Line Between a Friend and an Emotional Affair"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Many of us have heard the term emotional affair, but when you\u2019re going through life, getting to know people, and forming friendships it\u2019s not something you think about. The majority of people who find themselves in an emotional affair never plan on it. But how do you walk the fine line between having a close friend and putting your relationship in danger? Well, first you need to know exactly what an emotional affair is. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is an emotional affair?
\n<\/b>An emotional affair is when you give and receive a lot of emotional energy outside of your relationship. It\u2019s usually centered around one person, who you grow close to and get some kind of emotional connection from that you\u2019re not getting from your current relationship. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This kind of emotional energy can manifest itself in a lot of ways: <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Feeling closer to your friend than your partner.
\n<\/span>– Betraying your partner\u2019s trust by sharing intimate details or secrets with your friend.
\n<\/span>–  Concealing or hiding the details of your friendship, such as outings or text messages.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does gender matter?
\n<\/b>Generally, there\u2019s a lot of confusion about the ethics surrounding the gender of your confidant. For example, it\u2019s common for women to have close bonds with other women, and part of that is occasionally discussing the private details of their relationship to get guidance or reassurance. Many women wouldn\u2019t see this as a betrayal, and their partners would likely agree, even if they found it annoying.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of us rely on friends to listen to our venting or help us solve our problems. Generally, the rule goes: if there\u2019s a physical attraction from either side or a shared romantic history, it\u2019s probably not appropriate.  <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/b>If you feel the need to talk about your relationship issues with someone else, you need to question where that urge comes from. Why can\u2019t you communicate and resolve these issues with your partner? For a relationship to thrive, it needs openness and clear communication. If you\u2019re open with your partner and honest with them about problems you\u2019re having with your relationship, then you won\u2019t need to use someone else for an emotional release.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s the difference between a friendship and an affair?
\n<\/b>The main difference between a platonic friendship and an emotional affair is that an affair is kept secret. If someone has nothing to hide, then they\u2019ll be open about it. Another key difference is that there\u2019s usually some kind of sexual attraction between one or both people\u2014sometimes this will be made clear, and other times it won\u2019t be. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you determine if your friendship is actually an emotional affair?
\n<\/b>As we mentioned, there are a lot of grey areas. Every situation is different, but there are definitely signs you can look out for that show your friendship is veering towards an emotional affair.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n