Infidelity, cheating, adultery, unfaithfulness – whatever you call it, it’s a contentious issue in relationships.

In general, infidelity refers to a breach of trust between partners: one person breaks the agreed-upon boundaries of the relationship by engaging in some form of physical or emotional activity with someone else. However, the specifics of what constitutes cheating can vary widely from couple to couple and from situation to situation.

In this article, we’ll delve into some of the complexities of defining infidelity and explore some of the most common forms it can take.

Physical Infidelity

When most people think of infidelity, they tend to think of physical cheating – that is, engaging in sexual activity with someone outside of the relationship. However, what counts as “sexual activity” can be a matter of debate.

Some people might consider kissing or making out with someone outside the relationship to be cheating, while others might not. Still, others might draw the line at genital contact. Ultimately, it’s up to each individual couple to decide what actions they consider to be inappropriate.

It’s worth noting, however, that physical infidelity can have serious consequences beyond the emotional hurt it can cause.

If one partner engages in unprotected sex with someone outside the relationship, they may be putting their partner at risk for sexually transmitted infections. This can be a serious breach of trust and might have implications for the health of both partners.

Emotional Infidelity

While physical infidelity tends to get more attention, emotional infidelity can be just as damaging. Emotional infidelity refers to forming a deep emotional bond with someone other than one’s partner.

This might involve sharing personal details, confiding in the other person, or seeking emotional support from them. Some people might argue that emotional infidelity is even worse than physical infidelity since it can indicate a deeper connection with the other person.

One of the challenges of emotional infidelity is that it can be harder to define.

It’s possible for two people to form a close friendship without crossing any physical boundaries, but if that friendship is taking away from the intimacy that should be reserved for the romantic partnership, it can still be considered cheating. Similarly, some people might consider online flirtation or texting with someone else to be emotional infidelity, while others might not.

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Micro-cheating

In recent years, a new type of infidelity has emerged: micro-cheating. Micro-cheating refers to a series of small actions that might be considered disloyal or deceptive, even if they don’t rise to the level of full-blown infidelity.

Examples might include liking someone else’s social media posts, deleting messages from the phone to hide them from one’s partner, or keeping a dating app on the phone just to browse.

Some people might argue that micro-cheating is a symptom of a deeper issue in the relationship – perhaps one partner is feeling unfulfilled and seeking validation outside the partnership.

Others might argue that micro-cheating is harmless and just a natural part of modern communication. Ultimately, whether micro-cheating counts as infidelity will depend on the individual couple.

What About Non-Monogamous Relationships?

So far, we’ve focused mainly on relationships that are based on monogamy: that is, two people who have agreed to be exclusive with each other.

However, it’s worth noting that there are many different types of relationships out there, and not all of them involve monogamy. For people in open relationships or polyamorous relationships, what counts as cheating will be different from what counts as cheating in a monogamous relationship.

For example, if two partners have agreed to see other people but have set boundaries around what’s allowed (e.g., no sex with other partners), breaking those agreements would still be considered infidelity.

On the other hand, if two partners have agreed that they’re free to see other people and have no restrictions on physical contact, it might be harder to define what cheating would look like in that context.

Conclusion:

At the end of the day, defining infidelity and what counts as cheating will always be a somewhat subjective process. Each couple will need to establish its own boundaries and communicate clearly about what is and isn’t allowed.

However, one thing is clear: breaking those boundaries can have serious consequences for the trust and intimacy at the heart of the relationship.