When most people think about affairs, they imagine secret getaways and passionate embraces – but sometimes it i actually an emotional affair. This might not seem so bad, but it is cheating, just like a sexual affair.

Emotional affairs often start off with an innocent friendship; maybe they work together, or maybe they are friends through family. The pair start to invest time and emotional energy into the relationship, and this creates a deep bond (that isn’t always obvious to outsiders).

Here is everything that you need to know about emotional affairs.

The Difference Between A Friendship And An Emotional Affair

A friendship is a normal, healthy relationship with boundaries, while an emotional affair doesn’t tend to have boundaries. Both people will share extremely personal information with each other (instead of telling their significant other, or long-term best friend), which opens up a door that is difficult to close. Emotional affairs also tend to be more secretive; other people don’t know how close you are, or how much you rely on each other for emotional support.

Signs That Someone Is Having An Emotional Affair

Some of the main signs of an emotional affair include;

Becoming more closed up around your romantic partner.

Thinking about the other person frequently, even when you should be focused on other tasks.

You are less interested in spending time with your partner.

You confide in your friend rather than your partner.

You constantly compliment the other person, and you let them know the relationship is very important to you (such as saying things like “I don’t know what I would do without you!”.

You are always trying to figure out ways to spend time with the other person.

You think that your friend understands you better than your partner.

You are secretive about the friendship and how close you are to each other.