The seemingly simple question of “why do people cheat?” is surprisingly difficult to answer. To put it another way, you can use these to recognize the warning signs.
Cheating has no easy explanation. Most people in relationships don’t seek physical affection from their partner as a result of any particular circumstance. In addition, everyone has a slightly different understanding of what constitutes cheating.
Having sexual contact with someone outside of a committed partnership is one definition of cheating, while being emotionally attached to someone else is another. The general definition of infidelity is seeking sexual satisfaction from a source other than one’s partner in a committed relationship.
These are the telltale signs of a cheater among us.
As varied and muddled as the various attempts to define cheating, so are the motivations that drive people to engage in the practice. Even so, there are significant underlying factors that lead people to cheat. These are the characteristics you should look for in a partner before you fall in love and after you’ve found someone special to spend your life with, if you want to know that they won’t play you for a sucker.
1. In their family, both sets of parents cheated.
It’s not unusual for the pattern to continue if one of your parents cheated on the other when you were growing up. One of the most significant supporting factors not only for an adult and happy marriage, but also for a deeply committed one, is learning respect and commitment by modeling what we see.
2. A great deal of insecurity plagues them.
Cheating on a partner is common among people who suffer from extreme insecurity. People who struggle with low self-esteem have an intense want for affirmation from others, whether in the form of continual attention, praise, or the bliss of being loved. After the initial excitement of a relationship has worn off, the partners who aren’t confident in their own value frequently start looking elsewhere for affirmation.
3. The concept of a single partner is foreign to them.
Monogamy is seen as possible by some while others disagree. Sadly, not all brides and grooms are completely serious when they exchange vows. Some couples decide to tie the knot because they feel pressured to do so or because they believe it to be the natural progression of their relationship. Marriage is a serious commitment that should not be engaged unless both partners are committed to a life of monogamy. Sadly, not everyone shares my enthusiasm.
4. They've grown tired of being together.
Being in a committed relationship is boring once the novelty of being newlyweds and “in love” has worn off, and the couple has to deal with the realities of life, such as mortgage payments, children, and the pressures of extended family. Some people cheat for no cause other than boredom in their existing relationship and a desire for excitement. They take a risk for a cheap thrill without considering the repercussions, assuming they won’t get caught.
5. They are trying to figure out how to end the relationship.
Some people lack the confidence to end an unhealthy relationship by cutting all ties immediately. In other instances, individuals require external encouragement to break from an unhealthy partnership, and that comes in the shape of meeting someone who values them enough to do so. When someone feels emotionally distant from their partner, cheating gives them the assurance and security they need to leave their existing connection.
6. The couple is unable to fulfill each other's emotional or sexual needs.
Meeting each other’s needs in a relationship can be challenging at times. People in relationships often look elsewhere to fulfill their emotional demands rather than work on the commitment they have with their partner. Sexual and emotional satisfaction can serve this purpose.
7. They feel neglected and unappreciated.
One or both partners may experience feelings of being unwanted or unappreciated in a relationship. At certain moments, you may think that nobody would miss you if you suddenly vanished. A sensation of isolation is unbearable. Loneliness can be much more painful when it occurs in the company of another person. When a person in a relationship stops feeling like they matter to their partner, they may start to wonder “why not?” and engage in extramarital affairs.
8. This person is a narcissist.
Narcissists are self-centered people who put themselves first. To a narcissist, marriage is just another place to get their wants satisfied, and if you don’t satisfy them or cherish them the way they believe you should, they will look elsewhere.
The core trait of a narcissist is an inability to empathy, therefore they won’t understand or care about how their actions affect their relationship. They don’t care what it is or why it works; all that matters is that it makes them happy.
A person has a responsibility to the other person in a relationship to let them know if they aren’t in love or if they aren’t giving their all to the connection, and to see the relationship through to its conclusion before beginning another.
Articles you might like: There Are 13 Easy-to-Miss Signs That Your Partner Is Cheating, The Serial Cheater’s Secret Cose: 9 Inexplicable Traits of Cheaters, Should You Admit That You’ve Cheated on Your Partner?