Do Emotional Affairs Last, And if So, How Often Do They?

The question - do emotional affairs last - is one that can be answered if we consider how this form of interaction has benefitted from online dating. Some singles seeking extra-marital affairs do so because they're looking for fun and excitement with someone compatible, but don't want any of the responsibilities. They can readily sign up for matchmaking services where there might be a host of options for married dating, swinging, or affairs chatrooms. However, human nature being what it is, even those intending to embark on transient flings can find themselves being drawn into a passionate romance.

Anyone who might be tempted into a get-together with a married individual might ponder: how long do relationships from affairs last? If the parties involved have 'clicked,' there's no reason why they should feel the need to abandon what they have, just because they aren't married. Successful relationships from affairs may not be the inevitable outcome, but they certainly happen in a significant number of cases. Another query might be, how long do relationships from affairs last? This will vary tremendously, but in some cases, they last a lifetime.

How Frequently Do Affairs Last After Divorce?

Do emotional affairs last? That’s a key question often asked by singles who are considering embarking on a passionate fling with someone. They might wish to ponder some of the common statistics arising from investigations into these scenarios.

How affairs start

A bit like the proverbial quandary about the length of a piece of string, there’s no definitive question to this. People within a marriage or long-term relationship can still be in a place where they regard themselves as being ‘in love,’ but human nature being what it is, the monogamy and trust that binds them can readily become unstuck when another offer comes along.

• Even the happiest and most contented individual can find temptation comes knocking on their door when they least expect it. It could be that they find themselves being introduced to a new start in the office, an attractive individual who causes their heart to skip a beat.
• This doesn’t necessarily mean they find this person more attractive than their existing partner. But the very fact that they are different, perhaps with a more shapely figure, or is as so often the case, because they are younger, the seeds can be sewn for an affair to commence.
• The key factor is that there are aspects of their personality or character that they have in common, whether this is because they work in proximity to each other, or they are members of the same social club, or whatever.

The duration of an average affair

When affairs get going, it's possible for the people involved to discover their emotions are every bit as strong as the feelings they have for the original partners. Many of the individuals concerned would go so far as to state they feel they have fallen in love. This 'honeymoon' period can last anything from six months to a year and a half, and this is when their affair will reach its peak in terms of finding excuses to be together, and enjoying a lot of passionate encounters. After this frenetic activity, there is every likelihood the flames of desire will begin to die down.

Do affair relationships last after divorce?

Marriages that started as affairs don't have a great track record. Around 75% of these are likely to end in divorce. In answer to the question, 'do relationships from affairs last?' the answer has to be a resounding, not likely! Only around 5% of these partnerships will lead to marriage. So for couples who have met via an affair, left their respective partners, and then gone on to envisage a long and contented future together, the odds are very much stacked against them.

Do these negative figures tend to dissuade people from starting affairs? Absolutely not. If you are the type of individual who thinks nothing of going behind your partner's back, the chances are you'll assume you'll ultimately end up falling into the category of the 25% of instances where the new relationship proves to be successful.

How to Inspire Successful Relationships From Affairs

The reason why many individuals are coming to temptation can be put down to opportunity. Take the example of people who are separated by some distance for whatever reason. Perhaps their employment or further education has meant they’ve had to relocate to a different part of a city, or even much further afield. This can put a strain on any relationship. But long-distance affairs and infidelity are topics often intertwined.

Many people rely on having the constant attention of a loved one, and when this is removed, there can be a sense of a vacuum having been left. Should they happen to find themselves in a different city, alone in a singles bar, but surrounded by people who would otherwise be considered attractive enough for a relationship, there can be a temptation to fill the vacuum. Many adages cover this situation, but a particularly apt one is, ‘what the other person can’t see won’t hurt them.’

A bird in the hand

• If this separation is going to last any time, then there can be an even greater temptation to stray. If a lover is only contactable via texts or emails, then the attractive person sitting on the other side of the bar and making eye contact becomes much closer.
• In a lot of these situations, people are like ships that pass in the night, and the possibility of physical encounters could be described as an opportunist, with those involved accepting this is unlikely to go any further. But for others, the temptation to get involved with someone in an affair situation can be overwhelming. There is no reason why the chemistry between these individuals can’t be just as strong as the rapport that has developed in the existing relationship or marriage.

Avoiding the temptation to be unfaithful

The best way is to control extra-marital urges is to make sure you regularly touch base with your partner when you are apart. There are all sorts of methods for touching base these days, with video chatting via Skype or zoom calls becoming increasingly popular.

Couples who are far apart can keep in regular touch, enjoying fulfilling conversations. The technology now exists for people to take advantage of virtual reality (VR) scenarios. Simply by donning a VR headset and getting access to the appropriate software, users can interact via a computer link, provided they have access to a reliable WiFi network.

This can make for vivid encounters, especially if sensory software is also included, allowing the partners to react to each other’s virtual presence by touch. But the problem with having access to this software is that it can equally be applied to people who are not necessarily your current partner. So this becomes a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it can strengthen the relationship, but it can also lead to further openings for anyone partial to an affair.

Starting a New Relationship: Do Affairs Last After Divorce?

Do emotional affairs lost a long time? This is a question to which there is no right answer. Because affairs are dependent on the chemistry that exists between two people who are individuals with unique aspirations, no two cases are ever the same. It is a sad fact of life for anyone involved in what they thought was a committed and contented relationship, that temptation can rear its ugly head at any time. Monogamy might happen to be the default setting for relationships in the western world, but it is far from the only way for lovers to interact.

Open partnerships

In many instances, couples will agree to enjoy the company of others. This is certainly one way of countering the urge for either party to break away from the partnership and go behind their partner's back. If their significant other has given carte blanche to enjoy intimacy with third parties, as long as there is a strict understanding that they will never allow this to become the relationship they prioritize, this scenario can sometimes be beneficial.

Focusing on the present

• Many affairs tend to be spur-of-the-moment action, driven by circumstances. Unlike relationships that have been carefully developed between two people interacting and getting to know each other over some time, building a rapport until they get the sense that this person is truly special, human nature has a habit of stepping in and enticing individuals to stray from their chosen path.
• Affairs will always have the potential to cause lasting damage, especially if one party refuses to forgive or forget the misdemeanor. If the other person feels strongly enough about being betrayed, then there is never much likelihood of the trust that once enjoyed it but has now ruptured ever being nurtured again.
• The problem with people having affairs is they seldom look to be a longer-term picture. Often it will just be a case of experiencing overwhelming desire for someone, then giving way to those feelings and without thinking about the consequences until it is too late.
• If an affair gets to the stage where the people involved feel they have stoked a lot of chemistry with this liaison, to the extent they are prepared to consider leaving their partners to form a new union, having the courage to take this bold step is no guarantee there will be a successful relationship from the affair at the end of it.

The length of time affairs can last after separation varies considerably, but in the majority of cases, it is the trust issue that is capable of throwing a spanner in the works and ensuring the relationship will never be able to return to its previous potency. In the majority of cases where a couple has gone on to form a new relationship, sometimes even culminating in marriage, another divorce tends to be the ultimate result.