One of the best ways to harm a relationship is to have an affair. Being not only a physical betrayal, but also an emotional betrayal, affairs will ruin trust between you and your partner and stifle hope. It is not only sex that is involved in an affair, there is an emotional element too. However, your relationship can survive if you are willing to make the effort. Furthermore, it may even become stronger than it was before.
Among the essential elements of recovery is rebuilding trust. There is nothing that betrays trust more than an affair. So, in order to regain the trust one must work hard to assure the other person that it is safe to trust again. Though not an easy task, it is a realistic one and it has great benefits.
An affair will also bring into question the degree of commitment and love. After being caught in an affair, one must also work hard to get their partner to see them in a positive light. The love, physical and emotional, will not be easily replaced, rebuilt, or renewed but like trust, these things can be restored. Remembering that forgiveness and reconciliation are not instantaneous will help. Minimum recovery time for two people who are motivated, honest, patient, and sincere is 18 months. It can take longer. Don’t rush.
One of the main things to be learned will be compromise. This must be done in order to continue in the recovery process. A new and better relationship must be the goal and habits and attitudes will need to evolve.
Knowing one’s partner has been with someone else is a tough mental block to get through. Unless that is worked through, there is no chance for the relationship. However, if that can be surpassed, the relationship has a great chance.
A lack of physical closeness may be present for a long time during the recovery process. Realizing that sex is not the only or the most important thing in your relationship during this time will help you to pay attention to the other parts of your relationship. When you look beyond sex at the other positive attributes of your partner, this can make your relationship stronger. It is more important to have a well thought out and real reconciliation than it is to hurry through it and not really change your relationship for the better, so be patient!
Of course, there is never a guarantee that your relationship can survive an affair, or that your partner will think it is worth saving. Just keep in mind that after recovering from this, your marriage may be a stronger and better one. The tests involved in saving your marriage must be passed in order to for the injured party to heal.
Although an affair is often something that takes a marriage beyond repair. If those involved want to save the marriage they can. Often times the marriage will become stronger than ever. Saving a marriage is well worth it because humans are designed to share intimacy, both physically and emotionally at a deep level. It’s hard to do that even without the added complication of an affair, but once achieved, the peace found is incomparable.
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