Sexting: Not Just For Teens Any More

Sexting isn't just about teens sending naked or semi-nude pictures to each other any more.

A USA Today study showed that 39% of teens and 59% of young adults aged 20 to 26 had engaged in some kind of sexting. Sexting, if you haven't heard, is the sending of sexually explicit text messages, IM's or emails to a potential lover.

Middle aged men and women aren't usually the trend setters; they leave trend setting to the younger crowd. Just recently, for example, are those 35+ getting involved with Facebook. Married men and women are now also getting involved in the dangerous, but exciting game of sexting with other married men and women.

Married women are especially vulnerable to sexting affairs. As they get older, many women feel as though their husbands take them for granted. This could be because they are going through the change of life, they are bored with their husbands, or another man pays attention to them while their husbands are struggling by working overtime in an attempt to make ends meet for the family in a difficult economy.

With the advent of the internet, it's especially easy to find an old lover online. It takes you back to a time when life was simpler and young love was in the air. You may have not seen your high school sweetheart for many years, but a simple Google search can find them. And, the text messages, instant messages, or emails soon start. This leads to suggestive comments, perhaps in the form of acronyms. There's nothing to lose. You don't live in the same town and it seems so innocent.

But, it can lead to deadly results for your marriage if your spouse finds out. Even if you didn't initially plan on meeting at a hotel for sex, the sexual tension created by the sexually suggestive messages can lead to it. It seems exciting in a marriage that has become boring. It will only be a one time thing. It will make you feel good and your spouse will never find out.

The problem is that your spouse will find out. They always do. The sexting becomes a drug that you can't get away from. It's too exciting. It's too invigorating. You want to end it, but you can't so you spend most of your evenings removed from your spouse and hiding out in another room of the house. It's hard to concentrate at work because of the anticipation of the sexting that is going on.

And, when your spouse does find out, will he believe that you weren't really having sex? It is an emotional affair and often emotional affairs are harder to accept than physical ones, especially for men.

So, while it may seem like sexting is putting a little innocent spice in your otherwise boring middle aged life, remember that your spouse does love you, even if he doesn't show it too well. And, if he finds out, it will rip his heart out.