Article: Often, when something is wrong in a relationship, one or both partners can just "feel" that they are growing distant emotionally. Where two people once felt close and connected, they now feel like they hardly know each other. Where it was once easy to share emotions, cuddle, and talk about nothing, such interactions now feel forced and "cold". This sort of emotional distance can be a sign of a host of relationship problems, including infidelity. If your girlfriend seems cold and distant, press the issue with her immediately talking with her to learn the root cause is better than languishing in unhappiness. Note, however, that prolonged emotional distance can be a sign of many relationship problems besides infidelity. The National Healthy Marriage Resource Center pinpoints family and cultural differences, situational conflict, and stress as just a few of many alternate causes. Sometimes, people who know they're doing something wrong can become super-sensitive to any sort of criticism or accusation. Because their misdeeds are fresh in their memory, any sort of innocent teasing or nit-picking can seem like a personal attack. If your girlfriend has surprised you recently with unnecessarily hostile responses to seemingly innocent questions, you may have a serious problem on your hands. Below are a few innocent sample questions that can spell trouble if they're met with anger or frustration: "Hey, who was that you were talking to on the phone?" "So, what did you do last weekend? "What are your plans for next Friday?" "How are your friends?" "Who have you seen recently?" In one of the absolute worst-case scenarios for any relationship, one partner may become so enamored with someone else that she actively tries to sabotage the relationship she's already in. This can take the form of aggression, rudeness, frustration, insults, and more. In this case, your girlfriend is most likely trying to get you to break up with her so that she can pursue her new relationship free from guilt. If your relationship gets to this point, sadly, it may be best to give your girlfriend what she wants. The pain of a quick breakup is usually much less than the pain of staying in an unhappy relationship with someone who actively wants to ruin it. Normally, random acts of kindness can provide a spontaneous "spark" for a relationship. However, if one partner has been having serious thoughts about someone else, this sort of kindness may simply make her guilty. Almost no one likes receiving appreciation from someone they know they've wronged, so if your girlfriend seems unhappy to receive a gift or some other sort of show of kindness from you, be on the lookout for other warning signs. Below are a few of the sorts of things that normally go over well, but may not if your girlfriend is seriously thinking about someone else: Gifts for any occasion (especially "just because") Fancy nights out Gourmet meals Surprise appearances at work Clearing your schedule "just for her" Paradoxically, while having feelings for another guy can cause your girlfriend to be unusually defensive or aggressive, it can sometimes cause her to be extremely "nice" or affectionate. If your girlfriend is worried that you may discover her secret, she may temporarily try to woo you by showering you with kisses, hugs, compliments, cuddling, and more. A girlfriend who suddenly seems intent on keeping you dizzy with constant positive attention for no discernible reason may be up to no good, so be wary especially if the affection seems to increase whenever you question her activities or whereabouts. Of course, affection is usually a good thing within the context of a relationship, so don't be suspicious of ordinary, reasonable affection. Getting lots of kisses and a fancy dinner after getting graduating or getting promoted is fantastic, but receiving the same outcome after asking where your girlfriend has been for the past week should be troubling.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Feel for emotional distance. Look for extreme defensiveness. Watch out for sudden aggression. See whether she's uncomfortable receiving your kindness. Watch out for unprompted affection.