Which one is more dangerous: Emotional Affair or Sex Affair?

Infidelity is often considered as a betrayal only when it involves physical while in fact, emotional affair can damage a marriage as bad as physical/sexual affair.

Absence of physical intimacy in marriage, complicated by constant emotional and psychological involvement with another one may simultaneously "turn-off" the satisfaction and closeness with the partner.

"When you develop emotional intimacy with someone else, you and your partner will no longer feel emotionally connected to each other. The focus and energy that used to be for your partner have been moved to another person. Emotional affair has every means to turn-off a relationship quickly", said Lauren Mackler, a therapist and the author of "Soulmate: Master the Art of Aloneness and Transform Your Life", as quoted from NY Daily News.

Emotional infidelity can begin casual communication such as those in friendships, then goes on to a more intense relationship that ultimately culminating in an emotional relationships. At this stage, it has become a form of infidelity.

"One who is involved in emotional affair often does not realize it. So, as the time goes by, the relationship will become stronger and unconsciously they will then adjust themselves to one another," said Dr. James Wadley, a sexual therapist and marriage expert.

Then, what are the danger signs of a friendship that headed toward emotional affair? It is when someone can not think of others but his/her special friend, continual message sending either via SMS, email or chat, and especially when one starts to lie to his/her partner.

"When someone says to her partner that he would have to go home late because of work, while in fact he spent the time with the other one, it is the most obvious signal of a emotional affair," says Mackler.