cheating – Page 11

When Does Harmless Flirtation Become An Affair?

Some would say there is no such thing as a “harmless” flirtation. I disagree. Humans flirt. It isn’t just a mating ritual; it is one of the many ways we communicate with each other, extending an invitation for various levels of closeness. When you are around babies and small children and begin cooing and talking baby talk, you’re flirting! It’s a way of letting others know you are safe and fun to be with. It is a way of getting close. However, among married or committed adults, harmless flirting can become an affair long before any physical act of passion takes place.

For simplicity’s sake, we’ll refer to married life in light of this issue. However, it is clearly true that the same advice can be applied to any committed relationship!

Flirtation vs. Affair

The shift from flirtation to affair happens before you begin doing the things in the list I have provided below. The shift happens when deep inside yourself you feel a sense of loyalty and belonging to this other person. You feel the rush of falling in love, even if you don’t call it that. A chemical reaction even happens in your body, allowing this stranger to feel like “home.” Then the following kinds of things begin to happen, sending up a red flag that you have crossed the line.

You can’t wait till the next time you text, instant message, call, or see that person.
You begin sharing things with him or her that you don’t share with your spouse.
You begin making a list of the things you look forward to sharing with your new friend.
You create experiences or conversations with this person that you are reluctant to share with your spouse.
All your spare thoughts are for and about the other person.
You dress for him or her, rather than for your spouse or even yourself.
The two of you begin sharing secrets.
You find that his or her cologne or perfume makes you feel warm and fuzzy.
You resent the time your marriage steals from your new friend.

At this stage of the game, you have an emotional affair underway. Now what? There are many things that need to happen if your first priority is to save your marriage.

An Emotional Affair

First of all, understand that this emotional affair doesn’t mean your marriage is over. Your relationship does need attention. That is obvious.

Take responsibility for what you have created. Don’t waste time playing the blame game, accusing anyone else for your lapse in judgment. Thank God for your ability to make new friends and then get busy taking your life back before it gets ruined.

Get clear about whether or not you wish to remain married. If this emotional affair is the last straw on an already burdened marriage that has been heading for divorce for some time, you need to be aware of that. However, if it was a lapse in judgment and you want to save your marriage, allow it to serve as a yellow flag that your spouse and your marriage need your attention.

If You Want To Save Your Marriage

Stop the behaviors that led you into this affair. Quit texting, instant messaging, and calling this other person. Quit sharing things with him or her that you do not want to share with your spouse. Quit having private lunches or any other private rendezvous.

You may have to tell your friend that while you appreciate the friendship, your family needs more of you and that it’s time for you to turn your attention back to your family. I don’t suggest acknowledging to your friend that the two of you are in the middle of an emotional affair. Not if you want to save your marriage.

If you want to save your marriage, your emotional state in light of your friend is actually none of his or her business. It is your business and it may be your spouse’s business, but it isn’t your friend’s business.

Treat turning your thoughts away from this friend and back to your real life and the real loves in your life like a self-growth or spiritual discipline. You don’t have to beat yourself up when you find your thoughts drifting to him or her. Simply turn your thoughts to something else, anything else that has to do with your real life. (I say real because unless this emotional affair is solid proof to you that your marriage is over, you are living a fantasy getting your emotional needs met this way).

Open Communication

Talk to your spouse. Without blame, open the door for discussions about what the two of you need to do and how you need to be in order to strengthen your relationship. The emotional affair may have been an accident, but it is also a warning that your relationship is fragile and needs nourishment. Assure your spouse that your heart, your head, and your body are in the marriage. Be prepared to have that assurance tested by your spouse and your own thoughts and feelings.

Stick to the process with a renewed commitment to increase the intimacy and friendship between you and your spouse and the lapse in judgment that led to the emotional affair could turn out to be a true gift.

How To Avoid The “Affair Disease”

By drbonnieeakerweil

Continuing the trend of politicians caught with their pants down – literally and figuratively – is South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford. Closely on the heels of Sanford’s news came the revelation that Senator John Ensign was also admitting infidelity. Politician cheating is nothing new, and I’ve mentioned in earlier posts that politicians have higher instances of affairs because they’re under intense stress on a daily basis. Psychologically, they’re more prone toward a self-medicated high to temporarily cancel out the stressful emotions they feel, as I explain in “Adultery: The Forgivable Sin.”

Forgiving Adultery?

Of course, I’m not suggesting that this can excuse his actions – rather it’s a reason why news of politicians engaging in affairs is, sadly, relatively common. This type of behavior is becoming an epidemic and is a disease similar to alcoholism – and it’s time to stop it. We need to stop glamorizing it, or – alternatively – bastardizing it, accept that it happens and move on. I believe that we CAN cure and forgive adultery (an idea I go into in-depth in my book by the same name.) Politicians have high burn out rate and they’re looking to alleviate the pressure and stress – what I call the biochemical craving for connection.

This can easily become a self-enforcing cycle: politicians and others of us under a lot of tress (and let’s face it, nowadays who ISN’T under a lot of stress!?) are looking for a release from this constant pressure. An illicit affair provides the biochemical connection we’re craving, along with that high and thrill of a new romance. But keeping up the charade only causes more pressure. And so the cycle perpetuates itself.

What can we learn from Sanford (and others like him)?

Understanding Infidelity

1). The behaviors that stimulate these feelings can easily become addictive.

For instance, for any addict, the choice to self-medicate in any number of ways—with alchohol, medications, sex, or money—can begin with a desire to relieve stress or mute depression. The addiction then progresses to a
preoccupation with where their next “fix” will come from, and often involves a strong desire to create rituals
around obtaining the “high.” This preoccupation becomes a compulsion—to use drugs or alcohol, or to have
sex, or to shop—followed by depression and despair as the effects wear off, leading to the start of the cycle
all over again.

2). It’s a way of over-riding true emotions by opting for a “high” instead.

Sanford’s wife stated that she was aware of the infidelity and the couple was undergoing a trial separation as a way to SAVE their marriage (I call this the “brush with death” and it can be quite effective if both people are on the same page, although in this situation that doesn’t appear to be the case.)

3). Learn what your subconscious is telling you before it’s too late.

It’s likely that Sanford subconsciously couldn’t handle the idea of losing his wife and so he sought a way to cancel out that fear by deciding to have an affair. It’s a way of acting out – not talking out – extreme feelings in a person’s life. Don’t make the mistake of acting and not talking – it’s impossible to take back such a decision.

The Swinger Lifestyle and Open Relationships – Is it Really CHEATING?

By loveandsex

Some couples have a truly amazing, exotic sex life that’s enough to make most anyone jealous.

But there’s more to a great sex life than endless sexual adventures and erotic games.

It’s not even about those amazing mind-shattering orgasms that many have heard about, but few have ever experienced.

The real secret lies in really playing together and being completely open with your lover, your playmate, your partner in crime. Open up and share your fantasies, and indulge your partner in theirs. That’s the well kept secret of those with the truly incredible sex lives.

So… How About a Threesome? Or Maybe Even Swinging?

In expanding their sex lives, many couples come across that point where they consider a threesome – or even consider inviting another couple into their bedroom. Gasp!

Sure, bringing another woman into their bed is possibly the most popular male fantasy of all time. But finding that ever elusive single girl that likes to play with couples in her spare time is more challenging than some might thing. Fact is, most single girls like to go out and have sex with single men – not with couples.

Of course there’s a lot of social stigma around “swingers” which generally comes to mind, but the reality today is very different. Rather than the old “wife swapping” lifestyle of decades past, some couples today choose to try new things to spice up their sex life, and this new thing may or may not include playing with other singles or couples.

This is not about “swinger groupies” – people who don’t care about much other than having sex with others in large orgies, and hanging out at swinger lifestyle conventions. It’s about a couple experimenting and trying a new thing or another to add more spice to their sex life. THAT’S IT!

What’s truly amazing is that for something with such stigma, over 20 million Americans engage in sex multiple partners, together with their spouses. And the most popular adult personals site shows a consistent number in each state, regardless of religious or political stereotypes.

Are you a bad person if you WANT to have sex with your friends?

Think back… maybe back to your college days. Have you ever had one of those late nights hanging out with some friends, another couple? You know the feeling… you’ve all had a little too much to drink, and card games are starting to become a contact sport. You look around the room and everyone’s feeling the excitement, the sexual tension.

And while you’re pretty excited to cross a boundary here, you’re terrified. Are you suddenly a bad person? Are you taking advantage of your friends? Are they taking advantage of you? Is it cheating to be even having those thoughts? Are you asking way too many questions for the amount of alcohol you’ve consumed?

Is It CHEATING to Have Sex with Someone Other Than Your Spouse, Partner, Lover?

That certainly depends on how you define cheating. It’s kind of hard for you two to be cheating on each other while you’re BOTH enjoying something together, isn’t it?

Cheating is a breaking of the sacred trust in your relationship. When you’re both enjoying a fun, new adventure, it’s not possible to “cheat” on each other.

But BEWARE. While it’s not technically cheating, there are a few things that could go very wrong if you’re not careful.

You MUST have excellent and very open communication, and a great, solid relationship, or this will tear your relationship apart. Swinging, or the broader concept of an “open relationship” is definitely not a crutch to drag out a failing relationship. It can only work for a couple whose relationship is steady and strong, and can withstand the emotional torrent that can be unleashed when you bring new people into your intimate relationship.

Does He Have The Infidelity Gene?

By drbonnieeakerweil

Seventy-two-year-old Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi has made sex and scandal part of his political legacy He’s survived 17 criminal trials without conviction, and the most recent scandals allegedly involve some of the women in his administration.

Does He Have the Infidelity Gene?

UK newspaper the Times Online says his opponents see him as a doddering septuagenarian addicted to mysterious injections; supporters paint him as a tireless Don Juan, capable of satisfying two or three women at once. Whatever the case, there’s no denying that the Italian PM may have that infidelity gene that researchers think they identified!

Not to diminish the attempt of Berlusconi to include women as 30% of his administration, but they all tend to be former starlets who gained fame when he was a TV mogul. Because of this, a number of people have given him the nickname, “un magnaccia,” a colorful term for pimp, because of the time he’s spent finding work for “showgirls” rather than solving government problems.

Thrill-Seeking Behavior

Berlusconi is clearly engaging in a thrill-seeking behavior common in people with high-stress, high-risk jobs, like politicians. Politicians have a higher instances of affairs because they’re under intense stress on a daily basis, and therefore are more prone toward a self-medicated high to temporarily cancel out the stressful emotions they feel.

Add to this that I believe that certain people ARE genetically predisposed to have a more difficult time being faithful. I call it the bio-chemical craving for connection. It usually stems from three things: stress, loss or separation and leads to thrill-seeking behavior to avoid that feeling of emptiness.

According to Berlusconi’s personal physician, Bersulsconi, “has a strong sexual personality, and they are highly attracted to him. But it quickly turned to legend, and he has been the object of a disgraceful violation of privacy that would never be permitted in the US.”

Sex has always played a role in Berlusconi’s image. But that doesn’t mean that he, or others who are similarly disposed, has to live in this shadow or have an unhealthy relationship with sexuality.

Is Virtual Cheating Really Cheating?

By loveandsex

As people begin to spend more and more time online for both work and pleasure, it’s only natural that you’re going to meet people online through websites and even through friends.

Sometimes, however, people build relationships with others online, even if they’re currently in a relationship with someone in the real world. Is virtual cheating really cheating?

Dear Dan and Jennifer,

Just recently I found out that my husband has been e-mailing other women online. When I confronted him, he said he did not think it was cheating. We have a great marriage and sex life. How do I get past this and begin to trust again?

–Katie, California

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8af1VRFEg4[/youtube]

The Dishonesty Factor

While many couples define cheating differently, one way of looking at it is through the dishonesty factor. Whether it’s an online relationship or watching pornography when you’re not around, if your partner is dishonest with you about it or only takes part in these activities when you’re not around, you can pretty much bet your partner is cheating on you.

Not cheating in the “I had sex with someone else” sense; we’re talking emotional cheating here, which is often more hurtful than purely physical cheating. If you look at “cheating” through the dishonesty factor, any activity which your partner is dishonest with you about or tries to hide from you can be considered cheating.

Virtual Cheating – How Does It Make You Feel?

If you and your partner have a different take on cheating, for example, if you both feel like cheating is simply having a sexual tryst with someone else, it probably still doesn’t make you feel too great if your partner is chatting online or developing romantic relationships with other people online behind your back.

Just because it might not fall under your definition of cheating, if you’re not comfortable with it, it’s time to speak up!

This goes for anything in your relationship. If you’re not comfortable with something, it’s important that you discuss with your partner the way the virtual relationships and chatting makes you feel so that you can begin to work it out and find boundaries that make you both happy.

Talking To Your Partner

So you’re uncomfortable with your partner developing romantic relationships online, and you may even consider it cheating. It’s time to bring it up to your partner and let them know how you feel. It’s important not to be critical, regardless of how angry and hurt you might be.

Don’t let the argument escalate! Take the time to sit down and really talk to your partner about how it makes you feel and why you consider it cheating or why you don’t. Listen to what your partner has to say about it. If you both give each other the chance to present your sides of the issue, most likely you can work out a solution that makes both of you happy!

You should also take this opportunity to clarify the boundaries of online relationships and online chatting. Talk with your partner about what is okay and what isn’t. Make suggestions and even talk about some hypothetical situations and how they might make you feel if they happened.

You can begin to shape some clearer lines about what is acceptable and what isn’t when it comes to virtual relationships and chatting – only you and your partner can decide what is right for you!