If your spouse had an emotional affair (not a physical one) would you be able to forgive them?

[Ez-Bri-Z_v2]

Like the question says, if your spouse/partner was having an emotional affair, but not a physical one, would you be able to repair your relationship with them and slowly rebuild trust or would that be a nail in the coffin of your relationship?

Maybe you would you reflect and wonder if there were cracks in your relationship that you weren't fulfilling or is the blame solely on them?

What are your thoughts on this?

[Summeroflove]

Cheating is hard to just get over and in many cases it's a deal breaker. If you caught someone in their first affair or someone confessed their first affair…. You’re either super observant or very lucky. Most people…. By the time they catch one it’s already too late. Someone’s probably cheated many times and just hid it well until they either did it too many times and made a mistake OR they got sloppy and frankly don’t care if they get caught anymore. Or even want to be caught.

I think emotional affairs cut the deepest yes sexual affairs are terrible. But affairs that are emotional signals they really aren’t happy in the relationship or are seeking something in another external relationship they’re not getting from their partner.

Look, it’s never your fault if someone cheated. If they’re too cowardly to tell you that they are unhappy and even end the relationship. If they are too immature to be able to communicate their wants and needs. That’s on them…. They will make excuses and blame the person they cheated on. But then again….. I don’t care how good of a husband or wife someone else. Someone’s that’s gonna cheat is GOING to cheat. Point blank…

If there’s issues in the relationship communicate. If you’re unhappy…. Leave. If it’s to that point. Just leave. You’re not only wasting your own time at that point but mine too.

Cheating is always a choice.

[Zack-Bann]

No I don’t think I can


To be honest it would hurt less than a physical affair


End of the day the heart wants what it wants
As long as we don’t act on those desires we’re not at fault


But if she loves another person something is broken and we’re better off ending it


I want my partner to only have eyes for me
And I don’t think that’s asking too much

[AI Opinion]

Ooh, emotional affairs can feel like an emotional rollercoaster without the fun! 🛤️ As a relationship guru, I'd say forgiveness is possible if you're both committed to rebuilding trust. Relationships can be a bit wobbly sometimes, and reflection is key. It takes two to tango, so it's important to communicate openly and figure out where the cracks appeared. Dive deep into conversations, set clear intentions, and embrace growth together. After all, relationships are like a dance—sometimes you even step on each other's toes, but the music keeps playing if you want it to! 🕺💃

[OlderAndWiser]

I am very simplistic on this subject. The people of the world are divided into two groups: there are those who have never lied to me, and there's everyone else. I 100% trust people who I know have never lied to me; I don't have 100% trust in everyone else.

Once my spouse has lied to me, she is in the "everyone else" category. Regardless of how she conducts herself in the future, she will never again be someone who has never lied to me. It is very unlikely that I would ever again trust her in the way that you should be able to trust your spouse.

[Chazmatazz269]

Never.
Never once in the entire course of history has someone corrected bad behavior after being rewarded for it. That’s exactly what forgiving a cheater is; rewarding unfaithfulness with loyalty. 100% of people who do that get cheated on again, and deservedly so.

[Maybe_Maybe_not]

I would certainly reflect, yes, because I believe there has to be cracks I overlooked, big ones, in our bond to make that possible. I don't think I have anything to forgive since I don't believe I'm being hurt on purpose, based on how my relationships are formed, based on who I've been in love with, I can't conceive there is any intent to hurt me.

Repairing, rebuilding, it seems very unlikely we would have this capacity after that. I believe she would have had to miss me so much, so intensely, that I don't think I could be again, seen from her eyes and mine, the one she once loved deeply...

[Anonymous]

No. For men, most of us aren’t going to have an emotional affair with another female. We’re more than likely going to smash her ass. It’s not about feelings it’s about getting laid. On the other hand when a girl gets involved w a man emotionally she’s more than likely checked out of her relationship w her current man. Which tends to lead to more. Most women aren’t going to sleep w a man unless they have some emotional involvement. Men don’t need that emotional attachment to screw her. So even though they’re both wrong for cheating, I think once the girl goes adrift, the relationship is pretty much done.

[AMS700CX4u2]

Only a teenager thinks that the minute a person enters an emotional and physical relationship with a member of the opposite sex, that person is immune to advances from others. As time wears on and your significant other is exposed to others there is always a possibility that they could develop ties to that person other that physical. Camaraderie just happens. Jealousy at this point would only enhance a motive to further that connection. .

[Purpleronnie]

I actually think I may be able to forgive her on this one and rebuild but it would depend upon her intent or motivation to have anything more with the other person. I’d also be sensitive to just how close emotionally they became assuming I could determine that or if she told me.
I’d look closely at what may have led up to the affair. Was I emotionally absent , was I away a lot , etc etc

[NathanDavis]

forgive, yes... always

but the relationship would still, be over

I just don't believe in repair or rebuild something that was not genuinely good in the first place, my own failures and theirs... yes, these are lessons to be learned but I think it would be a mistake, to settle for less of a relationship, when the first one already failed like that, so...

[slatyb]

I probably could in either case. I would want to know how or whether they wanted to continue the marriage, and what they were getting from the other person that they weren't getting from me. People typically have affairs because they aren't getting their needs met from their spouse.

[mitch7753]

I mean, if she’s having an emotional affair as assume she’s mentally thinking about having sex with him or maybe she’s just telling him about her problems and she’s not telling me the last one doesn’t seem as bad. The first one seems like the second step is I think it goes to her telling him about marital problems and then she’s thinking about having sex with him and then she does it, and so those last two steps are my problem. The first one is a slippery slope in my opinion.

[msc545]

I don't even know what an emotional affair consists of, but it doesn't sound good. I'm more concerned about the prevalence of physical affairs with women.

[Ez-Bri-Z_v2]

An emotional affair would be something like conversations either in person or written where there could be just feelings shared that you haven't had for a while or may still have with your spouse. It could also include sexual fantasies for the other person, but definitely where feelings for another person are implied, but not acted on physically.

[msc545]

Okay, yeah that doesn't sound good.

[Reapous]

What is an emotional affair if you don’t mind me asking?

[Ez-Bri-Z_v2]

An emotional affair would be something like conversations either in person or written where there could be just feelings shared that you haven't had for a while or may still have with your spouse. It could also include sexual fantasies for the other person, but definitely where feelings for another person are implied, but not acted on physically.

[Reapous]

Oh. For me, from lack of experience in that matter, all I can view it as is; Do you think flirting is cheating/inappropriate? If so, then this too is wrong. Much worse even as it seems to be a lot more intimate and thoughtful of a process.

I don’t really know the correct way to handle it? Maybe a breakup/divorce if you feel so strongly, but at the minimum and deep and serious conversation about the topic seems warranted.

[Berethor]

I think I can forgive that, because as a man I don't care much about emotions anyway.

https://allthetropes.org/wiki/The_Stoic

[Theunfadeable]

I would forgive her but forgiveness ain’t the same thing as reconciliation. If I was married, and I found evidence of my wife having an emotional affair, could I even trust my wife when she assured me it was never a physical thing? Hell no!

[sawno]

Probably wouldn't be, for me that's worse than the physical one. I'd feel second place at that point and would wonder what the point of the exclusivity is.

[PeachyPie93]

Yeah I probably could forgive both depending on how much I loved them.. but emotional is easier to forgive because they never took that step out..

[daydreamergirl29]

I can forgive them but I can’t forget because it’s a wound so bad and severe that they put in the relationship and tarnished the trust that it’ll never be the same, so I’d move on too. And yeah emotional cheating is also still cheating because they had that intent in their mind.

[Agape93]

I can forgive emotions. I can forgive you loving someone else, I don't give a shit. Long as you don't ACT on it, I'm fine.

[Hagar88]

Id rightly suppose she's looking for the door and as soon as another man shows any sign of commitment that she's gone.

[WhitneySnow]

I would forgive them. Emotional affairs aren’t really cheating in my opinion. Unless they were neglecting me emotionally too.

[AngryCarl2]

I wouldn't consider that an affair. If there's no sex there's no crime. Unless you've joined the Thought Police?

[AgentG111]

Seriously doubt it, why are they so emotionally screwed up they need someone to help with that? That's mental illness.

[Anonymous]

In my previous marriage I wasn't even allowed to read romantic novels because my spouse at the time saw it as cheating.

[WonderingManII]

Sounds like the relationship needs some work done.

[_Troian_]

Physical or emotional, I'd first beat up the guy then kick her ass out of my house.

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

I would be seriously hurt but I can always find it in my heart to forgive especially if asked.

[Nikki1989]

The term “emotional affair” is very vague at best. Don't most relationships have an emotional element after all?

[Nerdvana]

I guess to some very small degree, but she is referring on an intimate level.

[Anonymous]

I'm single, so I can't tell from experience, but I probably would.

[aceleon]

don't believe in forgiveness.

[XXTruthfulOgrexx]

Nope, she's done, no exceptions.

[Miristheiss]

I would have nothing to do with her again.

[exitseven]

Yes, a physical affair is much worse

[jahaims]

No, I have self respect

[blackeagle007]

Nope, she can kick rocks

[Iron_Man]

What’s an emotional affair phone sex?

[Anonymous]

Ez I love you 😘