Cybersex: The electronic homewrecker?

Online romances can also lead to cybersex addiction. At first, only one or two people in a hundred were thought to be at risk, says Dr. Kimberly Young, founder of the Center for Online Addiction (www.netaddiction.com) in Bradford, Pa. But, she says, the most recent studies indicate a much higher figure: eight to 10 per cent, or maybe even more. “Whether or not this is a big phenomenon, whether or not there are hundreds of thousands of people involved and it's ruining lives -- there's no question about that,” says Dr. Alvin Cooper of Stanford University, Ca., who led the research team on the Net study. “We suspect that those numbers will only increase over time.” Dr. Jennifer Schneider, a physician and researcher based in Tucson, Ariz., recently conducted a survey among the partners of cybersex addicts. “I asked about what's the big deal with online sex -- each person is sitting masturbating, talking online. Almost all the respondents to my survey said that's as much cheating as if they are having physical sex. To women, at least, it's not the physical sex that matters, it's this relationship thing. It's the intimacy, spending time with somebody else. It isn't about sex, it's about the betrayal of intimacy.”

The specialists say anyone contemplating a cyber-affair should remember that it can be much harder to survive than a conventional affair because it reaches into the home, perhaps even into the bedroom itself -- while the partner lies sleeping.

(Strengthen your relationship by learning to communicate effectively with your partner)

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