6 relationship weak-spots for emotional infidelity
Most people don't set out to have an emotional affair. Rather, it just happens, usually as a friendly relationship snowballs into something more meaningful.
A common myth is that only people in unhappy relationships have emotional affairs. In fact, many men and women who commit emotional infidelity report that they were happy when they became involved with their affair partners. Rather than seeking out love (or sex), unfaithful partners gradually blur the boundaries between friendship and intimacy over an extended period of time.
That said, there are a variety of factors that can predispose a couple to emotional infidelity. Some of the more common relationship weak-spots include:
- Unresolved issues in the relationship that are either ignored or not resolved in a way that's satisfying to both partners.
- Long or regular intervals of time spent apart, often because of work or other obligations.
- Child-centric marriages that prioritize parenting and neglect a couple's relationship, with few opportunities for romance and alone time.
- Unsatisfying or infrequent sex, often a result of incompatible libidos or sexual preferences.
- A lack of shared interests and opportunities to simply have fun together.
- An unequal balance of power in the relationship; for instance, if one partner carries most of the housework and childcare responsibility or has all of the financial decision-making power.