Infidelity – Causes, Types, Effects and Therapy

Being disloyal in a marriage or relationship is called infidelity. It can stress the responsibilities involved and the relationship. An affair victim may experience shock, isolation, betrayal, and confusion. An affair can sometimes end a relationship. Couples can sometimes mend their relationship. They could accomplish this on their own or with the assistance of Relationshipsandmore.com in Westchester, NY. The relationship may strengthen as a result.

When Does Infidelity Count?

Someone else may not view something as infidelity. One might not consider their partner’s pornographic viewing infidelity. Someone else would consider it dishonest. If a spouse exhibits behavior that the person perceives as disloyal, they may feel inadequate.

Some people consider adultery extramarital sex. They might not view resentment and infidelity as dishonesty. However, emotional affairs can also damage a marriage. They might even cause more harm than a physical relationship would. An emotional affair may indicate that the unfaithful partner no longer cares about the union. Discussing expectations early might benefit relationship participants. They can discuss monogamy. Monogamy denotes the absence of additional partners for a couple.

They can discuss monogamy. (Monogamy refers to a pair not having other partners.) They might talk about their opinions of non-monogamy. By doing this, potential tension between partners can be reduced.

What Are the Causes of Infidelity?

Adults in the United States, according to studies, anticipate sexual monogamy. (Those in open relationships are not included.) However, up to 20% of people will have extramarital relationships at some point. Numerous factors can lead to an affair. Lack of relationship happiness may be the key factor. In a successful relationship, both parties can experience stability and security. It often requires emotional and physical connection. Relationship satisfaction can suffer from deficiencies in these areas. Infidelity may be more likely if a relationship is unhappy.

Adultery may not necessarily result from lack of fulfillment. A partner could start an affair due to their own dissatisfaction. They might do this to enhance their ego or confidence. An affair might also result from the desire for a novel sexual encounter. Others start an affair for emotional closeness. Additional justifications for infidelity could be:

• Negative self-esteem
• To stop the primary relationship
• Insufficient emotional intimacy
• Addiction to sex
• Preventing interpersonal or personal issues
• Depression

Infidelity Types

Infidelity of several kinds can happen in a relationship:

• Object squabble: This is ignoring a relationship to pursue other interests. The pursuit might become obsessional.
• Sexual liaison: One partner might engage in extramarital sex. They may not feel an emotional connection to that person. According to studies, males find it harder to forgive a sexual affair than women do. When emotions are absent, women may forgive an affair.
• Digital affair: This is sexting- and chat-based infidelity. It might exist online without sexual attraction. Pornography viewing may also be part of this affair. Some people view action as an expression.

• Emotional affair: When one partner develops an emotional attachment to another, this happens. A person might speak to someone else for hours on the phone or online in addition to their relationship. A relationship may suffer from an emotional affair. Partnership issues may be discussed with the person outside the partnership by someone having an emotional affair.

Effects of Infidelity on the Uninvolved Partner

Both sides of a relationship may be negatively impacted by infidelity. Others, such as children, may also be affected by these impacts. 

Infidelity might have negative effects. According to one study, being cheated on can have a severe impact on both physical and emotional health. A person whose partner had an affair might struggle with:

• Anxiety and depression
• Heightened distress
• Low self-esteem and confidence
• Shame or self-blame
• Rage
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Poor work performance

Bottom Line

Researchers have noted that monogamy is uncommon in the natural world. Instead, they claim, it is the creation of people. It can be incompatible with the biological need for several partners. Despite this, many people still strive to achieve these goals.

It could be beneficial to talk to your partner if you believe monogamy is not for you. You and your partner will share the same values if you have an open relationship. The use of non-monogamy as a defense for concealing a protracted relationship could be damaging.