How to Deal with Infidelity in a Relationship?
How to Deal with Infidelity in a Relationship?
Infidelity is when a person in a monogamous romantic relationship has an emotional or sexual relationship with someone else without their partner’s consent.This happens more than we think of. Infidelity is very complex, there’s a lot of depth and complexity to why people might cheat and how you can find a way back to each other.
Signs of infidelity
- changes in communication
- increase interest in appearance
- avoidance
- they accuse you of cheating
- more time away from home
- more time on their phone
- changes in sex life
- periods where your partner is unreachable
- lying
- won’t let you have their passcode for their phone
What is considered cheating?
Cheating can be defined differently by different people. To some people flirting is cheating; to others it is not. Some people believe liking another woman’s FB or IG posts is cheating.I think it all depends on what boundaries were set in your relationship.
- having intimate relations with someone else
- texting an ex (without your spouse’s knowledge)
- calling your ex multiple times (without your spouse’s knowledge)
- having an emotional affair
- having inappropriate texting relations on social media
- any “violation” of the relationship
What happens after you find out
Take a breath and allow yourself time to scream and/or cry. This is a painful process but it can help you heal.Reach out to your friends. During this time you need a circle around you.
Evaluate your options. It is going to be a hard to make a final decision. But start to lay the foundation for which direction this relationship is going, if anywhere, at this point.
Avoid social media bashing your spouse or posting pictures to make them jealous. Keep your business to yourself.
If your spouse cheats do you stay or do you leave?
For many couples cheating puts a nail in the coffin. For others they chose to work it out. The person who cheated needs to have remorse and understand what hurt they put their partner through. They can’t come across as nonchalant.
They need to honest as to why it happened. Was something missing in their relationship? Did they thrive on the additional attention? If the partner is not able to give the answers then repairing things might not be an option. Definitely consider counseling.
Marriage Counseling
Marriage counseling can help but I think only if both parties are interested in working on the marriage.
Some readers responses
Melissa:” I wouldn’t say that texting and talking on the phone alone is cheating but again, dishonest followed by trust issues. “I would try and make it work and much of this depends on the content of these texts and calls”.
Kenya: ” It is Cheating”. “cheating doesn’t have to be physical”. “Staying would depend on what was involved in the text”. ” No trust, no relationship, I would probably have to move on. My personality wouldn’t allow me to forgive and forget.It would come up in my every thought everyday”.
Tony: ” I don’t think just sending texts is cheating but depending on the intention, it could turn into a slippery slope. Intent is the principal thing. Id rather honesty and an end to the relationship rather than lie and pretending things are fine”.
How to Deal with Infidelity in a Relationship?
Check out my unstuffed pepper recipe
Did you see Fool me Once on Netflix? I think its a must see
