If you feel like your relationship with your wife has been strained lately, maybe you’ve started to wonder—is she having an affair? Even women who would never carry on a sexual affair can be pulled onto the slippery slope of an emotional affair.
Emotional affairs differ from physical affairs because sexual activity may not even occur during the course of the relationship. Instead, the unfaithful partner relies on someone other than their spouse for the emotional needs that should be fulfilled within their marriage.
These affairs often start with the breakdown of communication within the marriage. If you and your wife have stopped talking as often, in particular about her thoughts and feelings, she may be looking elsewhere to have those deep discussions. However, if your wife hasn’t been chatty lately, don’t jump to conclusions! If she is unhappy and quiet about your recent lack of communication, she probably isn’t talking about it with another man. On the other hand, if she is happy and not bothered by the strained emotional state of your marriage, it’s possible that she doesn’t miss her long talks with you because she is talking to another man.
You may also want to observe your wife at a work party or gathering; most emotional affairs happen with someone in the workplace. If she flirts a lot with other men, she may not feel appreciated by you. This could cause her to feel like she needs to flirt in order to feel wanted again. This behavior starting out of nowhere could be a warning sign that your wife is having an emotional affair.
If your wife’s work schedule seems to change all of a sudden, causing her to arrive home later than usual, talk to her about it. It’s entirely possible that there’s a big project that’s causing her to stay late, but it could be a sign of an emotional affair. Many women who are having emotional affairs shift their work schedule to fit more closely to the schedule of their boyfriends. Even worse, they may lie about their work schedule in order to fit in drinks or dinner with the other man.
The easiest way to determine whether or not your wife is having an emotional affair is to keep the lines of communication open. Ask her often about work, her friends, and her hobbies. If she talks about a specific male friend on a regular basis, keep an eye on the situation. Before women even know that they are emotionally cheating, they are often confiding in their close male friend more than they should be. By talking to her often, you can figure out early if something amiss is happening and if she may be lying to you about her work obligations.
In the event that you suspect your wife is having an emotional affair, talk to her about it. In most cases, a woman doesn’t start an emotional affair because she doesn’t love her husband or wants to leave him. Typically, they just feel unappreciated or unfulfilled in their marriage. By working on your emotional bond through counseling, you could return to having a wonderful, satisfying marriage.