It is pretty apparent that cheating is bad and that the disclosure of it in a relationship frequently results in a broken trust or an unpleasant separation.
But what about the little things you do that can be interpreted as signs of adultery even though you never actually cross a line physically?
This is what is known as micro-cheating, which is the definition for little activities that almost entail cheating. These actions can resemble a hazy area.
Although there is no physical contact between the partners in this nuanced kind of infidelity, the behaviours nonetheless violate the couple’s understandings of love exclusivity.
Here are a few indicators on how to recognise a micro-cheater in a relationship, but be cautious because you never know if you could be the one being watched.
1. Flirting repeatedly with an ex
Most people would not advise remaining friends with your ex-partner for obvious reasons. And one of them is that even if you’re in a relationship, you can still be attracted to her or him. You are definitely micro-cheating if you try to connect with them on social sites and engage in chats with them while recalling previously personal memories, particularly if you do it without your partner’s awareness.
2. Contacts with false names are saved
The likelihood is that if your partner is micro-cheating, he or she won’t take the chance of saving the entire name of the person they are cheating with in their phonebook. As a result, if you see that your partner frequently texts a person whose name you don’t recognise, they either aren’t telling you about their relationship with that person or have saved a contact you do know under a fake identity.
3. Developing an emotional connection with another person
It’s possible for a strong friendship to develop an emotional attachment that ultimately jeopardies and harms the person’s closeness with their partner when they devote a lot of time and emotional energy to it. You may regard this micro-cheating as psychological romance because you didn’t care to share your profound, personal feelings with your partner but rather with someone else, outside of your relationship and developed a bond with them.
You should think about having a direct conversation with your partner about micro-cheating if it has started to interfere with your relationship. It’s critical for the individual who has been microcheating to acknowledge how it affects their relationship and make a commitment to making a change.
