Thank You for Being a Friend

Explicit content warning

03/07/23 • 22 min

Loneliness is an epidemic in America, even for people who are married. It is a major driver of depression and it can drive people to desperate measures to feel less lonely, including having an affair.

This week's guest "Sabrina" didn't initiate her affair because she wasn't feeling fulfilled sexually -- she was feeling neglected by her husband and lonely and friendless. The man she is having an affair with has since become her best friend and she can't imagine her life without him. Now she worries about what will happen to her if he ever chooses to end their affair, or if her husband, who supports her financially, finds out about her infidelity. Jo is also joined by psychiatrist Dr. Gail Saltz and therapist Dr. Lori Gottlieb who both share their thoughts on loneliness and infidelity.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Previous Episode

Can One Partner Give You Everything?

Can one partner give you everything? In this episode, we talk to "Monique,” a woman in her fifties who was happy with her husband, but not getting her sexual needs fulfilled by him. "Monique" decided to explore her sexuality and desires outside of her marriage and her affairs have made her a better mother, a better wife, and helped her regain the identity she felt she lost after kids. She says that she thinks her husband might suspect she is having these affairs, but that he doesn't mind because of how they make her a better and more grounded person. Dr. Gail Saltz also joins to discuss the impact motherhood has on women’s sexual desire and we speak with sex expert Dr. Ashley Thompson who breaks down the myth that your spouse should be able to fulfill every one of your needs – a falsehood that can place a lot of pressure on a partner.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Next Episode

Are Affairs the New Self-Care?

In the past couple of years the media has positioned women’s exploration of sex, passion, and desire, as a form of "self-care" -- a wellness practice that helps them feel better about themselves. Today's guest "Michelle" breaks down how her affairs, particularly one with a sexy personal trainer, have become a form of self-care for her. She says they make her feel better and take better care of herself.

So, can an affair be another form of self-care, like yoga, meditation, or dry brushing? Is an orgasm with someone who isn't your spouse an actual wellness practice, or do women just need to justify their desires as self-care in order to fully realize those desires without shame? Alexandra Fine, sexologist and creator of Dame, a pleasure products company, weighs in.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

She Wants More - Thank You for Being a Friend

Transcript

Speaker 100:00:00.599

I didn't want it to feel like a date, but it was a date. A married woman on a date. It didn't feel good at all, but it felt good at you know, it's at the same time. If you understand what I'm trying to say, that voice you just heard was Sabrina. Sabrina's in her fifties, she doesn't have children, and she's been married for twenty years. Unlike our last guest, Sabrina didn't initiate her affair because she wasn't feeling fulfilled sexually. She w