What Is Sexting & How Does It Impact Your Relationship?

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For those who ponder the question “what is sexting” exactly, while hesitantly wondering if they want to send that first intimate message to a significant other, it can be what you want it to be, but you must know where to draw the line.

The content is as personal and erotic as each chooses, with the likelihood that as you engage, confidence will develop, and the messages will become a bit more risqué and daring in time. The popularity of the activity is growing by leaps and bounds with adults in the U.S.

As long as each is a willing participant, sexting is a harmless allure between partners hoping to add a bit of spice to their sex life. Still, if either party is not interested in the activity, charges can be brought against the other person, from obscenity to harassment.

It’s critical to ensure that the individual you’re sending these types of messages to is on board with that kind of relationship with you before you send unwanted explicit material sent from your phone.

What is sexting?

Sending or receiving sexually explicit content via a messenger platform on any electronic device to another person deems what is sexting chat.

The practice is not unlawful as long as each participant is a consenting adult and neither abuses that material. If one person is under the age of 18, the act can deem sexual exploitation or child pornography carrying criminal charges.

In phone sexting, the hope usually is that it’s something from a significant other. Seeing sexting messages or sexting pics sends waves of excitement through the body, causing the brain to race with thoughts.

Many people question why the activity is seen as so hot. It’s not anything from which an adult who believes in their partner should find shame or embarrassment, quite the contrary.

Studies show that almost 8 out of 10 adults engage in sexting conversations on a consensual basis. Doing so indicates a healthy, grown-up solid relationship with two people experimenting between flirtation and ultimately experiencing gratification.

Many use tantalizing texts to spice up their sex lives, resulting positively. It’s digitally seducing a sexual partner plus communicating needs and desires simultaneously in a rewarding capacity compared to those who don’t phone sext with their partners. But can there be consequences for sexting?

Related Reading: How to Sext – Sexting Tips, Rules, and Examples

How to explore sexting in relationships

Suppose you consider what is sexting given the right circumstances between two consenting adults. In that case, it is a healthy, safe way to explore sexual desires, fantasies, and needs where activities in the bedroom become enhanced.

How big of a problem is sexting? It depends on how you use it if you become addicted, if it’s consensual, and the age of those involved.

Sexting can be a fun and exciting way to explore your sexuality and intimacy with your partner, but it’s important to make sure that both of you are comfortable and on the same page.

Here are a few ways to explore it in a relationship:

• Communicate with your partner
• Start with slow sexting
• Use discretion while texting, sharing photos and videos
• Respect each other’s boundaries
• Be mindful of privacy

How does sexting work in relationships?

Studies indicate that the more comfort and intimacy two people share in a partnership or a dating situation, the greater the likelihood of participating in sexting.

Each would have a more profound sense of things to say when sexting the other since the commitment is more vital and familiar. It’s prevalent for adults and can prove advantageous for the average relationship, providing a greater sense of satisfaction in the union.

Most individuals explore fantasies they might not otherwise consider via sexting. There are no feelings of inadequacy or neglect in these instances; everyone has sufficient time and feels cared for, while sex lives become more exciting.

Suppose you’re attempting to get to know someone or are at the beginning of a relationship, it is essential to know the things to say while sexting. In that case, you might struggle to question what is sexting and what you should say in a message since you would have some fear of offending the other person before a union has a chance to develop.

In another scenario, potential mates who suffer from relationship anxiety find reasons to sext in an attempt at creating a sense of comfort between themselves and the other person, kind of “breaking the ice.”

10 impacts of sexting on relationships

Sexting is a term used to describe the act of sending sexually explicit images or messages through phone, email, or other forms of communication. Here are 10 impacts of sexting on relationships:

1. It causes embarrassment and shame

When couples experience the impact of sexting in their relationships and in their own lives, they can feel embarrassed and ashamed by their actions. This can lead to damaged relationships because they no longer trust each other and feel rejected.

Related Reading: What Is Toxic Shame? Signs, Causes and How to Cope

2. It makes people lose respect for their partner

When someone feels guilty about their sexual behaviors, this can cause them to lose respect for their partners. This can affect their relationship negatively because it makes them feel that their partner does not respect them anymore. 

It may also cause couples to have difficulty communicating about their needs and preferences in the future.

3. It affects a person’s self-esteem

When people receive unwanted messages and pictures that send them into an emotional spiral, their self-esteem can suffer greatly. This can prevent them from having positive relationships with other people and it can make it difficult for them to feel connected with others.

4. It can cause confusion in a relationship

When partners are engaging in sexting behavior, it can be confusing for both of them. They may not understand what the other person wants from them or what is acceptable to them when it comes to sexual interactions. 

This can make them both frustrated, and it can sometimes cause them to stop communicating with each other completely.

5. It can strain a relationship

When people engage in sexting behavior, it can strain their relationships with other people and their own self-esteem. They may feel like they are being used or taken advantage of by their romantic partners, and they may feel that they are unable to fully express themselves sexually because of their partners’ desires.

6. It can lead to feelings of betrayal

When people engage in real sexting behavior, it can lead to feelings of betrayal. These feelings are especially strong in monogamous relationships because they sometimes feel like the other person is betraying them in some way. 

They can begin to feel insecure in these relationships, and they may begin to question whether or not they should continue being in them.

7. It can ruin someone’s reputation

When someone is involved in a sexual relationship with someone that they are not supposed to be having sex with, their reputation may suffer as a result. 

This can be especially difficult for people who are in the public eye because they have to deal with the negative attention that comes along with these types of situations.

8. It can lead to infidelity

People who are involved in sexting behavior often struggle with trust issues. They may find it hard to fully trust their partners, and they may feel tempted by other people to be unfaithful to them. 

This can put a strain on their relationship and it can make one or both of them feel as though they are not happy with the relationship anymore.

Related Reading: 15 Most Common Causes of Infidelity in Relationships

9. It can be a form of cyberbullying

Sexting behavior is a form of cyberbullying because it is used as a way to spread rumors and cause people to feel bad about themselves. In some cases, this behavior is done deliberately in order to cause pain and distress to others.

10. It can be a form of sexual harassment

Sexting behavior is a form of sexual harassment because it is used to make people feel uncomfortable and to prevent people from enjoying activities that they are engaging in. 

In many cases, it is done by people who are in a position of power over someone else, and it can be quite upsetting for them to have to endure this type of behavior on a regular basis.

Related Reading: How to Tell Someone You Were Sexually Assaulted

More questions on sexting in relationships

Sexting can have both positive and negative impacts on the relationship. Check out these further questions on sexting in the relationship:

• Is sexting a form of cheating?

Sexting may or may not be considered cheating based on the specific relationship and the partners involved. Sexting is generally viewed as an example of emotional infidelity when one partner engages in it without the other partner’s knowledge or consent. 

Intimate and sexually explicit texts, images, or videos are exchanged during sexting, which can lead to feelings of betrayal and a loss of trust in a relationship. So, if your partner shows concern, you need to understand how to stop a sexting relationship.

Also, to avoid misunderstandings about what is and is not appropriate conduct, it is crucial to have open and honest communication with your partner. Some couples, however, may have different expectations and boundaries in their relationship.

• Why is sexting a problem?

Sexting can become a problem for numerous reasons, not merely because of sexting addiction. For someone in a relationship of any duration, sexting should always be consensual, and each person needs to be comfortable. 

If there is any hesitance or if you don’t believe the images you send will be discreet, you should not involve yourself in the activity.

1. Adult risk

The risk for nude pictures to circulate beyond your partner is high, even for those whom you trust implicitly. The reason is that many mates enjoy showing a sense of “pride” concerning the person with whom they have a partnership by sharing their pictures.

In their eyes, showing the images to their friends is innocent. When these shared photos pass from those friends to other people and wind up all over the web, the problem is when these shared photos pass from those friends to other people.

The implications of this can significantly affect a person’s social status, not to mention career or college standing. If you have this fear, you should in no way engage in sexting. It is best to opt for couples’ counseling in such situations and for the health of the relationship.

2. Teen/adolescent risk

There are substantial sexting legal issues when participating in intimate explicit content with a minor (under the age of 18).

In these situations, sexting can cause a legal crisis because the adult can be criminally charged with exploitation or child pornography. That is possible even when the individuals are 18 and 17, according to sexting laws.

These rules and regulations are stringent to protect youth from being exploited and potential sex crimes. Photos of these young people making rounds on the internet ruin lives, resulting in suicides, mental illness, bullying, lost scholarships, and so many other repercussions.

If you have to wonder if sexting is illegal, you may be far too young to participate in the behavior. When someone sends you content or takes inappropriate photos of you, you should contact the sexting hotline and law enforcement.

If you find yourself a victim, don’t feel as though you’re alone.

Speak with someone you trust implicitly. You would be surprised how many people want to help.

You can also check out this video to learn more about the risks:

• Is it okay to do sexting in a relationship?

The reasons for participating in sexting are many for a committed partnership, including the fact that it can help you explore unfulfilled fantasies.

Everyone has intimate daydreams they hope to experience one day with a willing partner. Engaging in sexts allows you to express those ideas and ultimately receive gratification. Enhancing your sex life is a primary benefit of sexts.

When you receive a boost to the ego from a single message, it improves self-esteem and confidence, allowing a stronger bond to develop and eliminating inhibitions that might have existed.

As two healthy, committed individuals, sexual communication in any form should be a celebration, an honor, and most certainly protected.

Final thoughts

Sexting (or even Cybersex) can be exceptionally controversial since most people associate the activity with teens. More adults participate than is realized. And the concept as a whole is not new.

Considering what is sexting today, it’s now a digital process that can be sent worldwide with merely a few clicks. Hundreds of years ago, people were using more antiquated measures to send risqué messages to their beloved.

The behavior is genuinely ideal for two consenting adults to maintain a healthy, robust sex life. Communication is generally challenging for couples, but in this way, each gets to set aside any inhibitions and explore desires they typically keep hidden.

There is the opportunity to develop stronger bonds and grow, especially in the way of trust. But it’s important to realize if you’re in a new dating situation or flirting with the idea of dating someone, sexting is not the answer for progressing things.

If you don’t have a strong familiarity with a person and a deep trust, you should avoid sharing racy photos or communication that an individual could then exploit. Further, whether you choose to use cybersex or sext, make sure you always have a sense of control.

Once you’re unable to manage your behavior or look forward to that next “fix,” you’ve become addicted. Recovery is tough, but it’s not impossible.

Never do anything you don’t feel good about, whether you’re an adult, a senior, or especially a teen. The repercussions can be vast and devastating.

If you find yourself a victim, reach out for help to a hotline, law enforcement, but most importantly, someone you trust implicitly. You do not need to face the challenge alone.