Facebook Could Get You in Serious Trouble

Facebook Cheater

You may be cheating and not even know it. When people hear the word “cheating,” they don’t think of Facebook. They think of sneaking around in hotel rooms, coming around when hubby or wifey is at work, or even running out the back door when there’s been an unforeseen change in plans. When the woman is cheating, you may think, “One of those babies may not be his.” When the man is cheating, you may think, “You dirty dog!” Some Maury Povich shenanigans. However, what if you’re cheating and don’t even know it?

Man and woman emotionally cheating at work

Sound Familiar?

While in a serious relationship, have you ever grown close to someone else at work, school, or church? It started as an innocent conversation, but the conversation went on too long, and you soon realized you liked it. You found yourself looking forward to the next conversation. Every time you arrived, at what was now the meeting place, you secretly scanned the room with your eyes, looking for your new interest. You wanted more, so you started dressing better and doing your hair just so.

You sang in the shower and seemed…happier. If you can relate to this, and you were in a committed relationship while this was going on, you cheated. If this is your situation now, you’re cheating. Cheating doesn’t always have to be sexual. Making an emotional connection with a potential romantic prospect, anticipated match, is cheating.

alphabet blocks that spell "Facebook" social media network

Facebook Is a Breeding Ground for an Emotional Connection

An emotional connection involves expressing emotions, sharing feelings, and feeling empathy (the ability to understand and relate to the feelings of another person). If you start depending on that person for support, you’ve formed a deep emotional connection. You may not feel guilty, after all…you don’t believe you’re cheating because you haven’t had sex with this person, or started searching for hotels. Maybe you haven’t even seen this individual in person. It may be a social media, email, or some sort of chat fling. However, if that person gives you a sense of belonging, you’re spending too much time talking or chatting it up with this person on Facebook. This is the danger zone of an emotional connection, which means it’s heading to a higher level.

Love Stage

Love. This is the stage where rational judgement goes out the window, and sacred boundaries are crossed. You’ll eventually get to this stage, because if entertained, one stage usually leads to another. While what you’re doing may seem innocent to you, but there are going to be consequences behind your carelessness. If there were a relationship weather channel, it would tell you that you are creating an emotional hurricane. The outcome is: your significant other will be hurt. You’ll shut down your relationship. Emotional cheating is a violation of trust. Although you may feel that an emotional connection is not cheating, given the right circumstances, it usually leads to hot sticky sex, which is cheating for sure.