The reasons why people cheat
Infidelity is one of the greatest causes of couples and marriages breaking up. When someone cheats in an exclusive love bond, trust is betrayed, hurting their partner. But why do people cheat? Are men and women unfaithful for different reasons?
Here are the main reasons why:
Many of the reasons are not determined by someone’s gender identity. Many of the explanations are valid for both sexes. And, depending on the type of relationship, there are different degrees of infidelity. The definition of this term even varies depending on the culture!
Generally speaking, the common reasons for infidelity are the following:
- feeling that your partner doesn’t give you enough attention;
- attempting to increase your self-esteem;
- not having accepted a monogamous relationship;
- trying to fill your inner void;
- boredom regarding your sex life with your partner;
- seeking revenge.
In short, there are many reasons and they tend to be connected to a very complex, personal struggle. However, there are certain reasons that are more common to one sex than the other.
Why men cheat
According to studies, the reason why men cheat tends to be closely related with their sex lives. Psychologists say that, while women need to feel loved in order to become aroused, men need sex in order to feel loved. In other words, it has more to do with their physical needs and what they mean to them.
Why women cheat
In the case of women, however, the main cause is not feeling appreciated or loved by their partner. Another reason is feeling unattractive, which leads them to look for someone else to contradict these feelings. Basically, they look for appreciation for their appearance from the outside to strengthen their low self-esteem.
Of course, in many cases, infidelity is not about love being over forever, but rather about something that is missing in the relationship. Communication between the couple is therefore fundamental. That is the only way to meet needs and fulfill desires in a healthy way.
Signs that you may be being cheated on
Most of the time, the person who is betrayed realizes this situation on their own. It is less common for the cheater to confess their doings since most of them want to keep everything secret.
The most common signs that you might be being cheated on are the following:
- your partner’s working hours suddenly increase;
- less interest in sex after a period of being very insistent;
- new hobbies that don’t involve you;
- secretly talking on the phone;
- being on their phone late at night while you sleep;
- bills and expenses that are hard to explain.
What to do after infidelity?
Infidelity can be a devastating experience for the person who is betrayed, even though the intention of the person who is cheating has never been to hurt their partner. The emotions that can arise from this are many: anger, rage, self-esteem problems, distress and depression. According to psychologists, even emotions comparable to post-traumatic stress can be experienced.
The truth is that there is no recipe for the right way to proceed in a relationship after being cheated on. This is a personal decision whether to work on the relationship and continue or simply end it. But, if you’ve been through this experience and don’t know how to move on, it may be good to seek help from someone who can give you another point of view.
RELATED ARTICLE: How to make an open relationship work
