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Out In The Open

Is an emotional affair worse than a physical one?

Sukhi Brar says yes... but doesn’t regret engaging in an emotional affair herself.
CBC Radio ·
Saying you're 'just friends' with someone you are attracted to. Keeping it secret and covering up your trail. Fantasizing about the person. These are signs you might be emotionally cheating on your partner. (Jhaymesisviphotography)

This story originally aired on December 2, 2016

Suhki Brar emotionally cheated on her partner. While she doesn't regret it, she does think it was worse than physically cheating. 

"Anybody can physically cheat with anyone. Its so glamorised in Hollywood and movies and music. Its so common because it's just a physical connection and there's no emotion involved. It's that intimacy of sharing your thoughts and feelings with another person, that secrecy and privacy you have with one monogamous relationship that is so much more lucrative than having a one night stand." 

Some questions to ask yourself if you think you might be emotionally cheating. (Josh Flear)

Brar is not alone in this idea. Women's magazines quiz writers and relationship experts seem to agree that emotional affairs are real and just as damaging or even more damaging than purely sexual affairs. 

"It really was (cheating) because I didn't hurt one person, I hurt two people... even though I didn't put my hands on anybody."

Even though both relationships she was involved in fizzled out, the act of emotionally cheating and realizing what that meant for her relationship had a positive impact on her.

"It has actually increased my standards and how I look at relationships now. Cheating emotionally led to my own personal development and growth as a person as to what to what I want from a partner in the future."

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