Why People Often Have Affairs With Their Partner's Best Friend
Infidelity is a common issue in relationships, and it can be particularly hurtful when the person with whom a partner has an affair is a close friend. In fact, affairs with a partner's best friend happen so often that it seems almost commonplace. But why is this the case?
There have been many celebrities that have faced this situation. Cases included Sting that had an affair with his then wife’s best friend Trudy Styler whom he later married, AFL star Billy Brownless’ wife had an affair with his best friend Garry Lyon, Shania Twain’s husband Robert Lange cheated on her with her best friend Anne-Marie. She then got together with Anne-Marie’s husband Frédéric Thiébaud. Essentially swapping husbands with her best friend.
So why does this seem to happen so often? That someone has an affair with their best friend’s partner when there should have been trust between husband and wife and the spouse’s best friend?
Do these people do it for the fun of it? For it seems to happen quite often even though society frowns on it. For this involves a betrayal by both the wife and best friend against the husband as they both have a close bond with him.
Besides the issue of having an affair with the spouse’s best friend lets look first at why affairs happen and its for a multiple of reasons. These include:
A lack of emotional fulfillment: Many people have affairs because they feel unfulfilled in their current relationship. They may feel neglected or unloved, and they may seek out someone else who can provide the emotional support and affection they crave. If a person's best friend is able to provide this, it can be tempting to turn to them for support, especially if the person feels like they have a strong emotional connection with their friend.
A desire for novelty: Affairs often provide a sense of excitement and novelty that can be lacking in a long-term relationship. If a person is feeling bored or unfulfilled in their current relationship, they may seek out someone else to spice things up. In some cases, this person may be a partner's best friend, especially if the friend is attractive or seems like a good match.
A lack of communication: Poor communication is often a factor in infidelity. If a person is unhappy in their relationship but is unable to effectively communicate their feelings to their partner, they may seek out someone else to confide in. If their best friend is a good listener and understanding, it can be tempting to turn to them for support.
A history of attraction: In some cases, a person may have always been attracted to their partner's best friend. If they have never acted on these feelings before, the opportunity to do so may present itself if the person is unhappy in their current relationship.
But why be attracted to the spouse’s best friend of all people. The betrayal of an affair is bad enough but the betrayal is compounded when its with the person that is the spouse’s best friend.
It is actually very simple, the husband and wife is attracted to each other which is obviously why they married.
The husband and his best friend would have a lot of things in common and usually quite similar which is why they are best friends. It then would be unsurprising that given that, the best friend and the wife would also get along and be attracted to each other.
The other way also happens with the wife’s best friend having an affair with the husband as in the case of Shania Twain.
It's important to note that having an affair with a partner's best friend is not an excusable behavior. Infidelity can be incredibly hurtful and damaging to a relationship, and it's important for people to be honest with their partners about their feelings and to work together to address any issues in their relationship. However, understanding the underlying reasons for why affairs with a partner's best friend happen can help people recognize the potential risks and take steps to prevent infidelity in their own relationships.
