Does everyone cheat?

The statistics I found, which varied significantly from study to study, indicate that the answer to the above question is, no. Approximately one-quarter of married women and half of married men will step out on their spouse at least once in their lives. Keeping in mind, infidelity statistics are generally self-reported so therefore, they’re not exactly hard scientific facts.

More important than the statistics themselves is the underlying reasons people cheat. A family history of infidelity can create an underlying compulsion to repeat a behavioral pattern that may remain unconscious. Couples with incompatible sexual appetites or lack of communication can also be vulnerable to one or the other person cheating.

Being aware of the reasons why people cheat (and why you or your partner might be inclined to do so) is the first step in preventing it. I explore this and more in this week’s Real Love Revolution video, plus I cover:

  • Why People Cheat
  • Ways to Protect Your Relationship (So No One Feels the Need to Cheat)
  • Who is Likely to Cheat (Looking at Family Patterns)
  • The Type of Work Necessary to Prevent Infidelity

 

It is possible to set yourself and your partner up for success in your relationship so that neither person feels the need to cheat. Feeling lonely or angry with your partner, but never talking it out, could lead to acting it out (and possibly cheating it out), so talk to each other! Check in regularly and make sure that you are communicating and on the same page about your wants, needs and desires so both people feel fulfilled. If sexual desires are mismatched in a marriage, consider seeing a sex therapist or a couples therapist to talk out how you can meet in the middle. And if it comes down to simply wanting out of your relationship, there are much simpler and cleaner ways to end it.

Cheating is a symptom of a bigger problem. @terri_cole (Click to Tweet!)

You won’t magically know how to create a vibrant, healthy relationship if you’ve never had one or had one modeled for you.

If your parents didn’t have a great relationship or had poor problem-solving skills, that is what you learned. Therapy can teach you the tools to create a better marriage than your parents had. I hope this blog and video provided some insight into why people cheat and how to safeguard your own relationship against it. For more strategies, download the Checklist: How to Keep a Relationship Healthy, so both you and your partner feel connected and satisfied in your relationship.

Click here to watch this video now!

Drop me a comment here on the blog and let me know what resonated with you after watching this video. Then head over to my YouTube Channel and SUBSCRIBE for free access to every Real Love Revolution vid! Join the conversation with #RealLoveRevolution on social media and share the love!

Thanks for watching, reading and sharing!

And as always, take care of YOU.


Terri Cole is a licensed psychotherapist, transformation coach, and an expert at turning fear into freedom. Sign up for Terri’s weekly Newsletter, check out her blog and follow her on Twitter.

Image courtesy of Wyatt Fisher.