Types of Cheating in a Marriage or Relationship

According to Dictionary.com, the definition of cheating is to deceive, defraud and elude. In a marriage or a relationship you verbally agree legally, or not so legally, that you are going to be committed to each other. When a person proceeds to be deceptive about his/her actions against the person they are committed to, it raises a red flag within the marriage or relationship. There are many types of cheating. However, we will discuss three types of cheating in a marriage or relationship. There is emotional cheating, cyber cheating and physical cheating, all of which make up the definition of cheating.

Emotional CheatingThis type of cheating involves emotions and has the tendency to occur when a person continuously communicates with someone other than the person to whom they are committed. Emotional cheating can occur when the cheater constantly does some of the following things: talking to the other person on a daily basis about all things including personal issues, hanging out together after hours for office events, hanging out together one on one, and constant texting. This can leave the cheater and the other person developing feelings for each other, which in turn will appear to show a lack of communication and feelings on the home front. The spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend suffers, wondering why their loved one does not talk to or communicate with them often enough. Emotional cheating can occur at work, over the Internet, or with a person whom the cheater has known for a long time. If a person communicates with someone else more than the person they are in a committed relationship with, they are an emotional cheater.

Cyber CheatingCyber cheating is described as cheating that involves chatting, emailing and constant online communication. Even cybersex is a form of cyber cheating. There is a misconception that people deny this form of cheating as they feel that it is not a real physical connection. However, with social media activity at an all-time high, people are beginning cyber relationships and committing cyber cheating, destroying marriages and relationships in the midst of it all. Sometimes cyber cheating has a way of turning into emotional cheating, which then becomes physical cheating. This has occurred especially within the social media realm. Folks tend to reacquaint themselves with past friends and exes, chatting online for hours on end to catch up. The next thing you know, the chat turns into a visit to someone’s gathering, then to a one on one meet up after work, leading right up to an all-out affair.

Physical Cheating
This type of cheating speaks for itself. Physical cheating is the act of physical contact, be it a kiss or some sort of sexual activity with a person to whom you are not in a committed relationship. There is often skepticism in reference to hugging and kissing being a form of cheating. Any physical contact with someone other than the person you are with, in a committed relationship, of sexual or lustful intent, is a form of cheating.
In conclusion, the ultimate rule of thumb is if you are communicating with someone who is not your boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse and you feel you have to lie about it, that is being deceitful and can ultimately lead to cheating and infidelity in a marriage or relationship.