The Difference Between a Close Friendship and an Emotional Affair

Emotional affairs usually arise from close friendships. Often, they are unintentional, stemming from feeling unappreciated, unloved, or isolated in your current relationship. This video discusses some of the differences between a close friendship and an emotional affair.

Mary Jo Rapini, MEd, LPC is a psychotherapist, specializing in intimacy, parenting, body image, and relationships.

Reaction Reset is a self-help series that explains the psychology behind why we react negatively and how we can begin to make a positive change. Subscribe for a new episode every other Wednesday!

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[she_sings_delightful_things]

I would absolutely love to show this video to my so called partner, but he would not be honest. He refuses to be honest and that's what initially prompted me to visit this video. But after listening, I realize that I have wasted the last 8 1/2 years of my life.
I will never get that time back and I have absolutely nothing to show for it.
I am finally ready to walk away.
Thank you.

[loopsiedoodledo]

I've recently found your channel by looking for videos regarding emotional invalidation, and I've sort of just kept clicking on your other uploads. They've been very informative and I've learned quite a lot. Your manner of speaking makes it easy for me to process what you mean. I recently subscribed for your vids, thank you very much!

[thegeneral]

I'd never heard of the term "emotional affair" till a friend mentioned it to me. I now believe a female friend of mine is having an emotional affair with me or at least signs of it are showing. I'm a single guy and didn't really appreciate how far it has gone. Nothing physical obviously, I respect her too much to do anything like that.

She's pregnant also now with her partners baby and it caused a near complete ending of communication between us which really confused me. I think that was her realising she needed to end the friendship. Now our friendship is stronger than ever and growing again. I don't know what to do. Obviously I don't want to hurt her but I enjoy the attention and deep conversations and vibe with her immensely. I don't want to end this.

[replaygeorge]

People nowadays are so afraid to admit to their own feelings, or admit they picked the wrong partner, so they stick to a flawed relationship where trust and boundaries have been broken anyway, instead of trying to enjoy life with someone they really like and want to be with. Yes, things aren't easy, most of the times there are many things involved, like family, kids, money, peers, but in the end everything, including the affair, is a lie, everyone is betrayed. Instead of going for the truth, people suffer by choosing to play all sort of games in relationships.

[iairarea]

Excellent clarifications! This video is a true life saver!

[andziagreen]

Brilliant video👏 thank you for all the information

[ckholdingsinvestor]

more painful the guy knows she’s with someone, he knows he got her already!

[marciamellow]

If all of that is going on, the relationship has big problems already, and has for some time...go find someone who would not even want to do any of that...talking runs straight into trust issues for ever on... The counslor must recognize that...right?
Things just can not reverse...

[bossent.]

Thanks for the Helpful channel, Me and my spouse just made a major move to start fresh In our marriage however I just recently learned by checking his phone records he has been having a 2 year affair. He states this relationship started physical but turned into a friendship can you honestly cheat on your spouse then become friends with this same person who is single?

[danavest]

Sexless marriage for over ten years and after she moved into another bedroom I bought a life like sex doll and now she’s accusing me of cheating on her

[dangad]

Is it possible for woman who is involved in emotional cheating to change

[paulbunyun]

my wifr had on, always hiding the phone, i found in one year she had 47, 000 texts and 250hrs on the phone. i caught on and followed her one daya nd she drove over to the guys apartment. 30 minutes later they came out holding hands and she gave him a kiss...did they do it in that 30 minutes?

[denisships]

The kiss on a cheek is an important one for me and my culture is normal but for other non latin cultures it can really be an issue

[GilMcGillivary]

She blocked every thing but can unblock it later

[tanyasalas]

I don't trust any guy. Always a motive..

[tumpalpriharto]

Western law on friendship and relationship

[denisships]

As a rule of thump you can have deep friendships but nor of the opposite sex to keep it safe if you are heterosexual and if you are homosexuql make sure the friendship shall be of the opposite sex

[HarryAcorns]

Can a deep, emotional affair, one that where I'm physically ill if I can't be with him. Eventually fade into just being friends? He says his love will never fade but I told him it will and we can be friends. I'm hoping my love for him will fade and while me and my husband go to counseling and it works, that I'll fall back in l9ve with my husband and my other emotional affair partner and I can hang out as friends. Is that possible? And I don't think at this moment that I should disclose my emotional affair in counseling. It will hurt my husband to much I think. I just want the counselor to tell my husband where he went wrong, fix that, and I can fall back in love with him. And my AP and I can just be friends. Any help please.

[ninablubabe]

I sent this to my husband, I will update what he says!