Infatuation Rules
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Can a guy like someone else while in a relationship?

Finding someone else attractive while in a relationship is an entirely normal phenomenon many people experience. While crushes are more likely to sprout up while you are going through a rough patch with your partner, they can strike at any time.

taylorcounselinggroup.com - Is It OK To Have a Crush While in a Relationship?
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Having a crush while in a relationship is usually innocuous. Research suggests that having a crush on someone other than your partner isn’t necessarily harmful to a relationship as long as you keep it in check.

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Choosing to act on those feelings, however, could turn an innocent crush into an affair. Learn when being attracted to someone else while in a relationship has gone too far, as well as ways you can improve your current partnership for the long term.

Is It Bad to Find Someone Attractive While in a Relationship?

Finding someone else attractive while in a relationship is an entirely normal phenomenon many people experience. While crushes are more likely to sprout up while you are going through a rough patch with your partner, they can strike at any time. Perhaps you just started dating and have since been preoccupied with thoughts of a new person in your friend circle. Or, maybe you’re in a long-term relationship but have feelings for someone else. You may bask in this new person’s attention for hours afterward and wonder if being with them would be better — or hotter — than staying with your current partner.

Knowing When You’ve Crossed the Line

While having a crush on someone other than your partner is completely normal, there are some indicators you have crossed the line. Here are some questions to ask yourself to determine if your attraction to other people has gone too far:

Are you engaging in micro-cheating behaviors such as hiding your interactions with the other person or sexting?

Are you getting close to someone else just because you feel attracted to them?

Are you emotionally cheating or forming a deep emotional connection with the other person?

Are you dressing up to see the other person, affectionately touching them, engaging in exaggerated laughter, complimenting their appearance or making sexual jokes?

Are you avoiding your relationship issues by focusing on others?

Are you becoming obsessed with the other person, and is this affecting your sexual life or behavior toward your partner?

How Can I Work on My Relationship?

If you are serious about your existing relationship, it may help to address the issue. Deciding whether to tell your partner about your crush can be a tough decision. If you think it’s necessary to help them understand what you’re going through, share how you feel with compassion and gentleness. However, be aware that your partner’s feelings could be badly hurt. What you need to address with your partner depends on your situation, but you may consider how you’ve been taking each other for granted or if you spend as much time together as you did in the past.

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Get Help Dealing With a Crush While in a Relationship Today

Making changes in your relationship — if you want to continue it — usually takes determination and a willingness to work at things over time. If you feel like you aren’t making progress on your own or would like some guidance in strengthening your relationship, counseling can help. Couples counseling is an excellent way of beginning the conversation or keeping yourself and your relationship on course. If you’d like help strengthening your relationship or understanding what you’re going through, contact Taylor Counseling Group to book an appointment today.

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How do you know if he wants to end things?

If they hesitate when you try to make plans in advance or discuss the future, they may not be ready to commit to you. If your partner was once OK with talking about your future and making long-term plans but no longer seems comfortable doing so, it could be a sign they see the end of this relationship.

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Sometimes your partner may be dropping hints that they're unhappy in a relationship and would like to break up or go on a break. If you feel like your partner treats spending time with you as a chore or no longer tells you details about their life, they may no longer feel close to you. In some cases, if your partner is avoiding making long-term plans and is finding the negatives in your shared happy memories, you may want to have an honest discussion about how they're feeling and what's going on with your relationship. Above all, if you're unsure of your relationship, have an open and honest discussion with your partner about it.

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Breakups can be really difficult, but sometimes you can see them coming.

In some cases, your partner could be dropping subtle or obvious hints that there's an issue in your relationship, which may or may not be worth working through. Keep in mind that these signs don't necessarily mean a breakup is coming, but they could mean that your partner is feeling unsettled in your current relationship. Above all, the best way to figure out where your relationship stands is to have an open, honest discussion with your partner. Here are some signs your partner may be planning to end your relationship:

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