Extramarital relationships can have a significant impact on the quality of the existing marital relationship. While some people may view these relationships as harmless fun, they can actually lead to feelings of betrayal, hurt, jealousy, anger, and mistrust between spouses. This is because extramarital relationships often result in a transfer of emotional and physical attention away from the primary partner towards someone else. This can create a sense of abandonment and insecurity in the person left behind, which in turn leads to lower levels of satisfaction within the marriage.
One study found that couples who engaged in extramarital affairs reported lower levels of satisfaction with their marriages than those who did not engage in such activities. The reason for this is that cheating can cause a breakdown of trust, which is essential for maintaining healthy relationships. When trust is broken, it becomes difficult to feel emotionally connected and intimate with your partner, leading to a decrease in overall happiness within the relationship.
When one partner seeks sexual fulfillment outside the relationship, it suggests that there are issues within the current union that need to be addressed.
Extramarital relationships can also affect the level of communication and commitment within the marriage. When one partner has an affair, it can make the other feel less valued and desired, leading them to question their own worth within the relationship. As a result, partners may become distant or even stop communicating altogether, further damaging the bond between them. In addition, having an extramarital relationship may indicate a lack of commitment to the existing relationship, which can erode feelings of loyalty and respect.
While extramarital relationships may seem like a harmless way to satisfy sexual desires, they can have significant negative impacts on the emotional and sexual satisfaction within the primary partnership. They can lead to feelings of betrayal, jealousy, anger, and mistrust, as well as a breakdown of communication and commitment. If you're considering entering into an extramarital relationship, it's important to consider the potential consequences it could have on your existing union before proceeding.
How do extramarital sexual relationships reshape emotional and sexual satisfaction within the primary partnership?
Researchers have suggested that engaging in extramarital affairs can lead to feelings of guilt, shame, anxiety, and stress among individuals who are involved in such intimate encounters outside their primary relationship (Kramer & Blocksom, 2018). These negative emotions may undermine the satisfaction levels experienced by both parties in the marriage or committed relationship (Boswell, 2020; Kramer et al.