Physical cheating in relationships is one of the more well-known types of infidelity; however, it's subtle relation is emotional cheating. Emotional cheating occurs when someone who is in a relationship develops an intimate mental connection with someone outside of their relationship, often investing most of their emotions into the other person. Emotional cheating can wreak havoc on a relationship, and knowing the signs of emotional cheating can help save your relationship.
Withdrawal
If your partner becomes withdrawn emotionally, this can be a sign of emotional cheating. When a person becomes mentally invested in someone else, he will be less likely to share his emotions and experiences with you and have less energy to work on your relationship. If your partner talks constantly about a co-worker, online friend or other acquaintance, and seems less and less interested in your life, this can be a red flag of an emotional affair. Other signs include emotional distance and overall apathy about your relationship.
Secretive Behaviors
If your lover or spouse becomes secretive, this most likely indicates some sort of cheating is going on. If you question your partner about a close friend and she becomes defensive and secretive in response, she may be having an emotional affair. Note that there is a fine line between jealous accusations and logical assumptions, so try to give your partner the benefit of the doubt while remaining reasonable. Sometimes people can be secretive if they have extremely jealous spouses. But if you have an otherwise stable relationship and your partner starts to hide e-mails, has mysterious text messages or phone calls or refuses to talk about her life, these can be signs of emotional cheating.
Lack of Intimacy
If your partner becomes physically withdrawn, stops wanting to have sex and stops wanting emotional intimacy, he may be having an emotional affair. According to M. Gary Neuman, author of "Emotional Infidelity," in an interview in Redbook Magazine, in an emotional affair, a person puts the bulk of his emotions into someone outside of the relationship. As a result, your partner will not feel the need to share with you anymore and will show a lack of intimacy and connection. If you try to talk to your partner about problems and your partner shuts down, tunes out or ignores you, it may be time to seek couples counseling if you want to salvage the relationship.
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