Infidelity

Many successful marriages have become broken homes because of a primary source of infidelity. There have been different speculations on the social media space that nothing can keep a partner that wants to be an infidel. This post will address all the key important things to notice and help against infidelity.

What is Infidelity?

Infidelity which is also known as cheating is defined as the act of being unfaithful to your marriage partner. In the simplest understanding, it is engaging in a romantic or sexual relationship and everything relates with a person that is not your spouse and thereby breaking the marriage commitment and trust in the act. There have been different reasons for infidelity and so many even appear to be valid, but it doesn't change the fact that infidelity is bad and should be avoided.

Infidelity violates a couple's marital relationship and identity then fills it with anger, hate, jealousy, disrespect, rivalry, negative thoughts, and behaviors, etc. It can also damage the psychological state of a person, personal esteem and confidence, and even PTSD- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Infidelity has a lot of consequences attached and it is better not to commit the act than to start seeking restitution when the act is done.

Signs of Infidelity

A lot of times the partners are suspicious of the infidel partner and you can check out these signs if you are doubting;

• Your partner becomes all secretive

This is a change in the character of your partner, if you notice that they begin to act shadily and all unaccountable which wasn't so before, then it may mean that they are getting attention outside. This may come in ways like drastic changes in mood and behavior or they may spend less intimate time with you. You need to be sure because this might also be a result of stress and not necessarily cheating

• Your partner begins to hide their devices

A phone is a basic device everyone has now and if your partner is intentionally denying you access to their mobile phone, then it may mean that they are communicating with another person and they don't want you to be aware. If their phone was not password protected before and now it is, and they are refusing to tell you for not clearly stated reasons. It may be a good idea to get suspicious.

• Your partner make excuses for being distant

If they are suddenly coming home late from work and they are uninterested in being with you or spending time with you. If you're seeing less of them around and they make excuses for not being closer. You can confront them and ask what is wrong politely, your guts feeling most times will know when they are being truthful or not. Be attentive to the attention they are giving you and if they are offering less of what they used to. A cheating partner would be less available both physically and emotionally to their spouse. Talk to them to ensure that you're not making assumptions in your mind.

Why do people cheat in relationships?

There have been different whys as to why infidelity occurs in lots of marriages and it is mostly said that people who cheat do it mainly for they don't seem to respect the marriage and they end up being infidel. Self-control is needed in marriages and if you're not a controlled person you may find yourself cheating on your spouse.

You must understand that your spouse doesn't have everything and that they would gradually get to improve but it doesn't change the fact that you're committed to them through marriage and you loved them even before proposing to marry them. There is a lot of communication and understanding that's needed to be done if you want your marriage whole. If some spouses have communicated with their significant other then they may not even have to cheat on them.

Effects of Infidelity

These are a few highlighted effects that infidelity can cause.

• Self Blame

Most times the other partner starts to blame themselves for being the cause of the cheating. You may begin to ask yourself questions that won't help in the long run. You can't change what has happened and most times it's not your fault. Send love to yourself and know that you're deserving of the love and respect that you need.

• Low Self Esteem

While dealing with a cheating partner we might fully get immersed in the fact that they picked someone else over us and we start to compare ourselves with them or wish we were maybe taller, more beautiful, curvier and hope that if we had all those things maybe they wouldn't have cheated. It affects the psychological reasoning of the person.

• Feeling at a loss

The feeling that you just lost your marriage because things will never be the same again, starts to creep up. There might still be a way out to rebuild and intentionally start again with your spouse but you subconsciously can't control the thoughts that things are now different and you may not value, respect, love, and trust them the way you used to do.

Help on how to handle and avoid infidelity

You must first understand that everyone is responsible for their actions and how they respond to things regardless of the situation and that you can't stop infidelity if your spouse wants to. It's a personal thing.

To avoid infidelity you can stay intentional about your marital relationship and find a balance by being available and understanding your commitment to your spouse and ensuring that you're very sensitive to slight changes because infidelity doesn't start in a day. You might have waved off every sign that you noticed and let it slide. You need to be actively involved in your spouse's life and help them with understanding all that will make your marriage work. Although this doesn't guarantee an infidelity-free marriage it would help you not to blame yourself if they end up cheating.

Infidelity doesn't have to end your marriage if you don't want it to. You can make it work with the help of a professional.

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