Once a partner has been betrayed, it can trigger symptoms similar to PTSD for long after the betrayal. The partner who committed the affair can have similar symptoms related to guilt. Emotional afairs are sometimes just as troubling if not more troubling than physical affairs. Complex trauma can create connection problems.
Hypervigilence can develop in the betrayed partner, as they look through items like phone records, internet history or GPS location trackers. The partner who committed the affair is often not upfront about what happened, leading to more distrust. The betrayed partner is often more interested in knowing the truth (whatever that may be), than continuing to feel suspicious.
Rebuilding trust can take time and be extremely difficult. The good news is that there is hope for recovery and forgiveness. Given the highly emotionally charged nature of an affair, discussing and moving forward works best in couples or marriage therapy.
