Infidelity Support Group
Any relationship in which one partner engages willfully in sexual relations with another outside of the partnership is considered to have experienced infidelity. This breach of trust is often traumatizing for the faithful partner as well as the relationship, and support is often needed to heal emotionally and to decide whether or not the relationship should continue after...
Note: I don't know of any CS in this situation that I've read. So if someone reading this happens to be in this situation, I'm not thinking about or referring to you. Though I'm sure this happens, I have not seen this scenario specifically that I recall in any of these forums. This is for discussion in what some might consider a "gray area."
A man and woman are married for many years. Around age 50, she gets Alzheimer setting in. Over time, she gets bad enough that she no longer can recall who he is, or remember him from one visit to the next. For him, while he may visit her in the nursing home and ensure she is taken care of, he knows the relationship with her is over and will never be regained. Legally, they are married until she dies. Meanwhile, the man becomes lonely and this goes on for years.
How would you classify any romantic relationships the man might develop during this time? Cheating, he's wrong? Cheating but justified? Legally cheating but not in much of any other way and little consequence to it? Not cheating at all, the relationship is over and she'll never know the difference? Or....?
A man and woman are married for many years. Around age 50, she gets Alzheimer setting in. Over time, she gets bad enough that she no longer can recall who he is, or remember him from one visit to the next. For him, while he may visit her in the nursing home and ensure she is taken care of, he knows the relationship with her is over and will never be regained. Legally, they are married until she dies. Meanwhile, the man becomes lonely and this goes on for years.
How would you classify any romantic relationships the man might develop during this time? Cheating, he's wrong? Cheating but justified? Legally cheating but not in much of any other way and little consequence to it? Not cheating at all, the relationship is over and she'll never know the difference? Or....?
"in sickness & health ..." - that's sickness for her. While she doesn't really "know" he did commit to her and that life.
My view would be more of if he feels the urge to be with another person then why wouldn't he simply divorce the wife? If it's due to being a bad guy - "she's sick and he left her" it sort of runs into "she's sick and he cheated on her".
I don't think there is an answer that will fit every circumstances and the person would need to make that choice on their own.
She is his wife...for better, for worse, sickness of health!
Alzheimers? Paralysis? Cancer? Drugs that make one impotent? Depression???
I think the best way to stay in the state of grace is to NEVER take another besides your spouse under ANY circumstances. Of course, that's not for me to be the ultimate judge, but you can't go wrong by being too right...