**This is a work of nonfiction based on actual events as told to me by a client, who experienced them firsthand; used with permission.
Technology has made it easier to communicate with people near and far. It can be an excellent tool for keeping in touch with friends, family, and business colleagues. However, it has also blurred the lines between boundaries and inappropriate behavior.
"Gavin" found himself in a precarious position once he started talking to his brother's wife "Sylvia" on social media. What began as harmless banter quickly spiraled out of control, and before he knew it, Gavin had ventured into uncharted, dangerous territory.
"We always got along," Gavin said, his voice thick with regret. "But we weren't close. Then my brother took a job in another state, and they moved away."
Gavin's brother is eight years older, and his wife is nearly ten years his senior. That age gap was a blindspot for Gavin. "When they first got married, Syliva was like an older sister who happened to be married to my brother," he says.
"I didn't see them very often, only during holidays and a few other times each year," Gavin continued. "But some time after I graduated from college, she followed me on IG."
Initially, Gavin didn't think much of it, but things changed the night Sylvia sent him a DM. "She wanted my opinion on a birthday gift for my brother," he remembered. "I figured it was harmless enough, so I sent her a few ideas."
Before long, they were chatting regularly. "We have a similar sense of humor, and I guess I liked making her laugh. The banter was so easy," he said shyly. "I think I got a little too comfortable."
Sylvia started confiding in him about the challenges in her marriage. Gavin was happy to support her, but he soon realized his feelings were changing. "I was never trying to be anything more than a friend and confidant," he says. "But it's hard not to feel things when you vibe with someone, you know?"
The more they chatted, the more attached Gavin became. He knew he was getting in way over his head, but he couldn't seem to help himself.
"I used to get butterflies whenever I got a notification," he confesses. "She made me feel good about myself. She would send me emojis and tell me I was funny and sweet."
Gavin lost interest in dating women his age as he became more enmeshed with his brother's wife. "I didn't know their marriage was rocky before then," he said. "My brother didn't talk about those things with me." He tried to pull away, but the more he tried, the further down the rabbit hole he went.
Eventually, Gavin mustered the courage to sever his ties with Sylvia. "I was in over my head, and I knew it was a train wreck."
He still feels guilty about the whole thing. "There's no denying that what I did was wrong," he admits. "The crazy thing is, it's been about a year, and I still miss her. But I'm trying to move forward."
Gavin never confessed his true feelings to Syliva, but he learned an invaluable lesson about boundaries and inappropriate behavior.
Emotional Affair vs. Friendship
"An emotional affair involves having non-sexual emotional intimacy with someone who is not the individual's romantic partner. Someone having an emotional affair may hide it from their partner or even use deception to keep the relationship a secret." —Sheri Stritof, VeryWellMind
The emotional landscape can be tricky to navigate, but knowing the difference between a genuine friendship and an emotional affair can help you make informed decisions.
Too often, people foray into emotional infidelity without ever realizing it. But the more you understand the blurred lines between an emotional affair and a friendship, the better equipped you'll be to make healthy decisions that won't jeopardize the health of your relationships.
In Gavin's case, the fact that he kept his communication with Syliva a secret from his brother was a red flag. Secret-keeping, or lack of transparency, is one of the defining characteristics of an emotional affair.
The key to maintaining healthy relationships is to be mindful of your boundaries and honest about your intentions. Healthy friendships can be an essential part of your life, but drawing the line between a platonic relationship and something more is essential.
Emotional Infidelity Texting
"Texting is an addictive activity. A text message isn’t merely a bid for communication. Once we send a text to an attractive other, it becomes a circuit that is incomplete until we hear the “ding” of a virtual response from them. Then we get a hit of dopamine in our brain as our reward circuitry is activated." —Daniel Dashnaw MFT
Texting is still a relatively new way of communicating, and it can be easy to forget that your texts have the same gravity as an in-person conversation.
Emotional infidelity texting is when someone texts an individual outside of their relationship, sharing secrets and intimate details about their lives. Granted, it's not uncommon to share private things with close friends; however, if you're trying to keep it a secret from your partner, that becomes a problem.
As with Gavin and Sylvia, texting can provide a false sense of security. It's easy to get too comfortable and forget that the person on the receiving end of your messages is not your partner.
If you find yourself amid an emotional infidelity texting situation, take a step back and consider whether or not you would be comfortable with your partner having the same type of conversation with someone else. If not, you may be skating on thin ice and jeopardizing your relationship.
Have you ever crossed the line into an emotional affair? How did you deal with it? Please share your experiences with us in the comments.
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