Some people will try to tell you an emotional affair is harmless. But experts will tell you that emotional affairs threaten the emotional bond between a husband and wife. The same experts will tell you the emotional connection between a cheating spouse and his or her partner is definitely more dangerous to the marriage than a purely physical affair.

Emotional affairs can occur by intimate correspondence between the two on the cell phone or internet. The extreme danger of an emotional affair is that it can turn into an obsession with the other person or that it can lead to the physical after they have developed the deep bond between each other.

On any given day, thousands of people around the world are involved in an extramarital affair. In fact, may find that right now your own relationship is in the midst of an affair. Or, maybe one of you is considering having an affair.

To the person who is having an affair or considering one, the idea of an affair can at first sound like an exciting alternative to business as usual in what has become an uneventful marriage. After all, the opportunity to be with someone totally new and exciting can be hard to pass up, especially if you are not happy with your current relationship.

To answer some common questions about affairs, here is an extramarital affair FAQ:

Q1: Is it illegal to have an affair if you are married?

A: In most parts of the Western world, you cannot actually go to jail or be fined for cheating on your spouse. Still, having an affair can have serious legal and personal consequences for you. For example, in many places, having had an affair that leads to a divorce can lead to a greatly-reduced set of rights for the one who did the cheating. In other words: if you cheat, you do not have much of a leg to stand on when it comes to the lawyers fighting it out to see who gets which possessions. Bottom line is, by being caught cheating you give up many of your legal rights in the event of a divorce.

Q2: Is it safe to have an affair?

A: Having an affair can generally be a safe thing - if you do not get caught and if you practice safe sex, that is. However, if you do not practice safe sex or if you get caught cheating, your affair can be anything but safe. By having an affair you are definitely opening yourself up to some serious risks. These risks include: the spreading of sexual diseases to yourself or your spouse, facing the rage of a jealous lover (think “Fatal Attraction") or dealing with the wrath of a jilted spouse. Of course, being caught cheating can also lead to divorce, which can result in loss of the companionship of your spouse, the loss of many of your material possessions, and even loss of the right to live with your children. Ouch - not sounding so safe now, is it?

Q3: How do I stop my affair?

A: If you are currently having an affair, you need to start by deciding what it is you really want out of life. Do you want your spouse, your lover, or neither? After all, your affair may be thrilling at times. Or, maybe for you, just thinking about what you are doing to your spouse is tearing you apart inside. Either way, you know that you cannot sustain your affair forever. The sooner you face facts and decide what your next move should be, the better off everyone involved will be.