Not all marriages will go the distance. There are many factors that can contribute to divorce, and what might merely be a blip in the tracks of some marriages could be the coffin nails in others.
One frequent marriage-buster is the emotional affair. Read on to learn more about what many spouses consider to be infidelities.
Why emotional affairs put marriages in peril
You often hear happy couples describing their spouses as their “best friends” or “soul mates.” It’s not that these people don’t have other close friends and healthy platonic relationships. They do. But they make sure that their spouse is the one with whom they are not just physically but emotionally intimate.
An emotional affair jeopardizes that primary connection and weakens the marital bond. These affairs don’t occur in a void and often indicate that greater problems are affecting the stability of the marriage.
How do they begin?
Many, if not most, emotional affairs begin innocently enough, e.g., a growing closeness to your “work wife” who always has your back on projects or the workout buddy who supports and encourages your fitness goals in a way your spouse might not.
But over time, the spouse in the emotional affair begins to invest more emotional energy into that relationship than into the marriage. That’s typically the breaking point for many couples. Both spouses have decisions to make once the truth is uncovered.
Will your marriage survive this challenge?
There is no simple answer or straight path back to wedded bliss. Counseling may right the marital ship, but some storms cannot be weathered. Before making any rash moves, however, research all your options and know where you stand legally and financially should you file for divorce.
