Emotional Affairs Can Be Deeply Destructive to Marriages

 Posted on August 28, 2018 in Divorce

Infidelity is a common cause of marital stress and can contribute to the decision to end a marriage through divorce. Of course, affairs do not always involve secret meetings in hotel rooms or even any physical contact at all. Emotional affairs, meaning infidelity without a sexual or physical component, can develop when married spouses form close, intimate relationships with others outside of their marriage. It can be extremely difficult to determine when a friendship becomes an emotional affair. It is up to every married couple to make their own boundaries and decisions regarding what behavior constitutes infidelity. That being said, emotional infidelity often escalates into a full-blown affair. Many marriages have met "the beginning of the end" due to emotional affairs.

Deceit is Often the First Sign of an Emotional Affair

With the proliferation of social networking websites like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter it is easier than ever to connect with others. Twenty years ago, when high school sweethearts split up, they would generally only meet again if they happened to stay in their hometown. Today, most of us stay in constant digital connection with friends and ex-lovers from our past. It can be hard to know when a friendship becomes too friendly for a married person. One telltale sign that a relationship is bordering on an affair is when a spouse starts to hide information about the relationship from his or her spouse. If your significant other has a relationship with a person whom they are very secretive about, this could be a red flag that an emotional affair is evolving.

How Will Infidelity Affect My Divorce?

Many people incorrectly assume that proof of an affair will result in a dramatically different divorce decree. The reality is that in the vast majority of cases, an affair or allegations of cheating do not influence the outcome of the divorce process. Illinois is called a "no-fault" state because Illinois residents are no longer required to report a specific reason for seeking a divorce. Infidelity alone will not affect property distribution, child custody, or spousal maintenance decisions in Illinois courts.

DuPage County Family Lawyers

If you have just discovered your spouse has cheated on you, you may be lost, confused, and unsure of what to do next. Some marriages can survive the betrayal and pain caused by an affair, and others cannot. If you have decided that divorce is the right option for you, the experienced, compassionate Wheaton divorce attorneys at the Andrew Cores Family Law Group are here to help. Contact us today by calling 630-871-1002.

Sources:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/evanston/news/ct-evr-love-essentially-tl-0218-20160210-column.html

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/this-is-what-an-emotional-affair-is-and-what-it-isnt_us_55de27cce4b08dc0948652d5