Over 50% of marriages ending in divorce and a third of these divorces are being caused by online affairs. Technology has made having an affair easier and more discrete. Affairs can happen in the comfort and convenience of your home. Search engines and Social Media make it easy to connect with someone new or locate and reconnect with an ex, which can be too tempting for some spouses.
Most couples have an understanding of what an offline affair is but are unclear regarding online affairs. This lack of clarity can cause problems in a relationship. An online affair can be both emotional and physical due to the advances in technology. Connecting via online text, pictures, virtual gifts, and chats can facilitate the development of an emotional affair. Physical affairs can occur with the use of porn, cybersex, and/or sex toys that are operated via online technology. Both types of affairs can and often do escalate to offline contact.
A passive online affair occurs without the spouse or partner consent. This looks like inappropriate banners, pop ups, or initial likes or comments from others. If a partner makes the decision to click on inappropriate pop ups or fails to block inappropriate online contact, he or she is moving from a passive to an active online affair.
Active online affairs are deliberate activities that are known to be inappropriate, which is more concerning as it demonstrates a lack of regard for a relationship. For more information visit https://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/03/internet.
Signs:
- A demand for privacy
- Evidence of lying or hiding activities
- Loss of interest in sex
- Change in sleep patterns
- Becoming withdrawn and cold towards a spouse
- Household chores left undone
- Decreased interest in spending quality time or activities that were previously enjoyed by the couple
