{"id":125743,"date":"2022-06-28T11:00:57","date_gmt":"2022-06-28T10:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/?p=125743"},"modified":"2023-03-07T15:23:41","modified_gmt":"2023-03-07T15:23:41","slug":"microcheating","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/microcheating.htm","title":{"rendered":"Micro-cheating: What is It, and Is It Really That Big of a Deal?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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photo by Rodnae for pexels<\/p><\/div>\n

by Andrea M. Darcy<\/span><\/p>\n

Feel betrayed a partner is focusing on someone else, but then told you are overreacting<\/a>? Or is it you that is being accused? It\u2019s time to talk about micro cheating. <\/span><\/p>\n

What is micro-cheating?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Micro-cheating is of course not a psychological term. <\/span><\/p>\n

It is simply an internet-friendly shorthand for describing one partner testing the limits of partnership by creating intimacy with someone else, yet without veering into a sexual relationship with them.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

And it’s surprisingly common. A survey on the state of UK relationships<\/a> carried out by the UK charity Relate found that the top three forms of cheating were either ‘micro-cheating’, or somewhere between micro and full cheating. Emotional cheating was in first place, followed by kissing another person, then digital infidelity or ‘sexting’.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Examples of micro cheating<\/span><\/h2>\n

Micro cheating\u00a0 <\/span>doesn\u2019t involve actual sex, but can involve talking about sex.<\/strong> Constant jokes about sex, talking about each others bodies, or talking about \u2018what if\u2019 scenarios.\u00a0 “<\/span>If we ever had sex\u2026.” These are all ways to create intimacy with someone else that goes beyond friendship<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"micro-cheating\"

photo by Ron Lach for Pexels<\/p><\/div>\n

Micro cheating can also involve physicality<\/strong>, such as constantly sitting with knees touching, long hugs, or often touching someone when not really necessary in an intimate way, such as touching their hand repetitively when talking, or guiding them along with a<\/span><\/p>\n

hand on the small of their back. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Again, it\u2019s about persistently and constantly tempting that fine line between friends and more than friends.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

But mostly, it’s emotional intimacy<\/h2>\n

But more often than not, micro cheating is about inappropriate emotional and psychological <\/strong>intimacy. This generally looks like using the other person for things that used to be between you and your partner, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n