(Image source from: A Man's Quest)

When in a relationship, healthy flirting with some other person is all right. Though at times your flirting seems like a harmless one, it is a slippery slope and you never know when you slip. From time to time, that might seem innocent but in reality, it may be taking things to the next level.

Here are signs that it is no longer healthy flirting:

1. You find yourself sharing details that you don’t even share with your partner and it is labeled as emotional cheating. It is not out of ordinary to get emotionally drawn to people but just put a question to yourself what is in that person that is not in your partner. Ask yourself if it is worth to pursue this emotional connection.

2. You are a chronic flirt. There is no disgrace in the flirting game but turns out to be a problem if you are a ‘chronic flirt’. It is a huge revelation that you are in all likelihood not prepared for a long-term commitment. If you consider yourself a Casanova, it only makes sense to put a stop to your relationship as there could be a lot of brokenheartedness in store for your partner.

3. Cracking inside jokes is not to any extent considered healthy flirting. It can only lead to a lot of problems in your relationship. Having inside jokes with someone else will cause anguish for your partner and it’s a huge sign that your flirting is moving to a more serious direction because that establishes a circle of intimacy.

4. Emotional support. If it is just surface-level relation with your colleague or a friend, flirt away. However, know that you have crossed the line if you started leaning on that person for emotional support. It’s okay if you do not go to your partner first when you get bad news, but if that’s not somebody you have been depending on in the past, don’t force yourself to run to the new person either.

5. You are afraid to tell your partner about your crush. If everything is clear-cut, it is all cool. But if you are keeping a flirty relationship to yourself, you are subconsciously guilty of cheating. You have in all probability started to cross the line when you fear to tell your flirty tales to your partner.

6. If you are sharing intimate details about your relationship, you are no longer flirting but cheating. This is not only disturbing but also wrong on so many levels as it shows a lack of respect for your partner and relationship.

7. When all the flirting happens with just one individual then it is a sign of cheating. Flirting is healthy when it involves count in people but when this changes and you find yourself focusing on only one person then it can without a hitch lead to cheating. This can be a sign of attraction between you and the person you are flirting with thus the reason why you should refrain from. If this kind of flirting carry on with, it makes your bond to grow leading to either an emotional affair or physical affair.

8. Spending too much time communicating with them. Healthy flirting is done for fun which means that it’s not your priority and should not take much of your time. If you find yourself devoting excessive time communicating with those, you are flirting with or going through their social media profiles, then you should realize that you are cheating on your partner. It does not matter what you are talking about, even if the content is harmless, spending too much time communicating with her or him is wrong as it means that you are spending less time with or thinking about your partner.

By Sowmya Sangam