He has cheated before
Undoubtedly, past cheating behavior is the most reliable predictor for future cheating behavior.
He is a narcissist
People with narcissistic personality traits feel that they’re entitled to more things than other people. They’re more likely to cheat because they feel they don’t have to play by the rules.
He has no sense of guilt
Men who don’t feel remorse or guilt when they do something wrong are prime candidates for cheating. They won’t have those emotions holding them back.
He’s an excellent liar
If he is good at lying about other things in his life, then he is likely good at lying to you about cheating.
He learned it at home
If one or both of his parents were routinely unfaithful, then he is more likely to be inclined to cheat.
He recently lost his job
Unemployment puts strain on a marriage and can make a man feel vulnerable, especially if the job was important to him and defined his identity. When a man doesn’t feel so good about himself, he may boost his self-esteem through an affair.
He is spending less time with you
You’re watching TV; he’s on the computer. You go to bed; he stays up late. You’re in the same house but not really together. If a man is organizing his life to spend less time with you, it doesn’t really matter whether he has met someone. Behavior like this signals a distance that becomes a breeding ground for infidelity.
He is being less affectionate
Perhaps he doesn’t cuddle with you in bed anymore. Or he comes to bed fully dressed when he once slept nude. These are all ways of disconnecting and may indicate he is getting his intimacy somewhere else.
His computer habits have changed
Check his computer’s browser history once in a while to see where he’s been. A new and secretive email account would be a red flag. A new email account doesn’t necessarily mean your significant other is having an affair; but it becomes more likely if he is not willing to share the content of the account with you.
His cell phone habits have changed
Lastly, beware of new cell phone habits. For example, he suddenly gets a new phone with a password lock. Or perhaps now he keeps his cell phone in his pocket when in the past he would leave it on the counter. Or maybe he used to make calls and send texts while you were around, but now excuses himself each time the phone rings.
Dealing with infidelity
If your suspicions have been confirmed – and it turns out he is (or has been) cheating, we turned to some experts for advice on how to deal.
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65 percent of unfaithful couples end up remaining together.
The first step in dealing with infidelity is to recognize whether your relationship should be salvaged, explains relationship expert Dr. Gilda Carle. “65 percent of unfaithful couples end up remaining together,” she says, adding that with the right help, their relationships can become stronger than they ever were. But getting there requires commitment and help from a therapist. Though devastating, Carle explains that cheating can actually be a blessing in disguise. “I contend that cheating is the best thing to happen to a shaky relationship because finally, a couple will be shaken enough to decide either to mend their love or end their love,” she says.
Dr. Sharon Rivkin, MA, MFT and author of Breaking the Argument Cycle: How to Stop Fighting Without Therapy, also advocates getting professional help (if you’ve decided to remain in the relationship), but also suggests looking at the patterns of behavior and argument frequency that set the relationship up for an affair in the first place. “When you start getting to the root of the affair, clarity sets in, and you can decide if you want to stay or leave. But until you really address these questions, it could happen again,” she says.
Ultimately, how you deal with a cheating partner is up to you, but do something – don’t just let the situation hang in the air without resolution of some kind.
Culled from She Knows
