Love + Sex

Sunday, November 22, 2009

9 Reasons People Cheat

Getty Images

Getty Images

Why do I find it so easy not to cheat?

Maybe I'm not very attractive,
so my options are limited. Maybe I'm too jaded to go for the cheating opportunities. Maybe I still have some mental wounds lingering from when my dad temporarily moved out because he had met another woman. Maybe I'm too afraid that I've reached my sin quotient and one more big sin will keep me out of heaven.

Cheating is not a caught in the moment thing if you are really into your significant other, you miss them when you are not with them, you don't look for a way to hurt or deceive them.

I am just now patching up a friendship with someone I was seeing while they had a boyfriend (that may make me a cheater). At different points she told me that she had broken up with her boyfriend, that they were back together, and that he was boring and I was fun. It was total confusion.

I told her she wasn't being fair to herself, me, or him.

Finally, she said, "you just don't understand, there are things you don't know." Thing is she's been cheating on him for a couple of years with different guys, and he keeps taking her back.

So, are cheaters born cheaters, or do certain situations cause people to cheat? Probably a little bit of both. Here are some situations that make people cheat:

1. Bored
I'd say this is the most common reason that people cheat.It's tough to keep that edge throughout a relationship. Things start off grand and then level off and then you both realize that it's still real life. When you meet someone else, that inaugural excitement of a new relationship kicks back in.

2. Dependence
At first glance, cheating seems like independent behavior. It could be interpreted as doing what you want, when you want. But I would argue that cheating is a dependent behavior. A cheater is dependent because they are not strong enough to break up with their significant other in order to get with the new person.

3. Confusion
Sometimes life or a particular situation can get to you. When the perfect storm of confusion is going on in your head, you make mistakes.

4. Because They Let You
If any girl ever cheated on me, I'd break up with her immediately. Forgiving a cheater is putting up with it, and starts a vicious cycle. That person who cheated may lose respect for you and might continue to cheat-because they know they can get away with it, because you'll continue to take them back.

5. Nurturing
If someone is mistreating you, then your first instinct is to get away from him or her. But sometimes it's not that simple-maybe you are raising kids together. If you feel trapped in a bad relationship, it's only natural that you will run to the open arms of a person who treats you well.

6. Revenge
This is quite simple- an eye for an eye. Cheat on them if they cheat on you. If they continuously hurt you or abuse you in some way, you do it to get them back.

7. Confirmation of Attractiveness
Sometimes when you're in a long relationship, or if your significant other is taking you for granted, you begin to wonder if you're still attractive. Perhaps, because you were out on the dating circuit, you felt more attractive when you were single. If you have an affair, you've proven that a new person can be attracted to you.

8. The Thrill
Some people just enjoy the thrill of cheating: running around secretly, risking getting caught, andcreating thrilling moments with a forbidden romance.

9. They Don't Consider It Cheating, Even Though You Might
Relationships have that grey area, usually right before you become exclusive. He thinks date #4 is when you're "together," and you think date #2 is when you're "together." If you haven't talked about exclusivity, someone may think they are well within their rights to see other people, even though the other person in the relationship may not.

I don't understand why people don't break up as soon as they have an urge to cheat. Is it natural to have temptation, or is temptation a sign that the relationship is losing its fire? What reasons would you add to this list, and do you disagree with any? If you've ever cheated, why did you do it? Could you forgive a cheater? If you are single, but seeing a person who is in a committed relationship, does that make you a cheater?


Posted by Rich


Related from Marie Claire:

50 Cheap Date Ideas
How to Spot Your Soul Mate
Diary of a Hook Up From heck
5 Ways You're Sabotaging Your Relationship
Looking for More Love, Fitness & Career Advice? Subscribe to Marie Claire & Save!

Reprinted with Permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.
Syndication:

From the Community…

Comments 1-10 of 2,647
  • Lotsoflove's Avatar
    Posted by Lotsoflove Mon Mar 16, 2009 10:46am PDT

    Yes I have cheated on two different boyfriends. One it was long distance and I was only 17 teen. Way to hard for such a tender age lol. I cheated on another boyfriend again long distance but it was a bad relationship. Instead of breaking up, I was trying to hold on. I met someone who also cheated on his girlfriend. She was long distance to and taking him for granted. I felt bad after both times and broke up with the guys and told tem the truth. I’ve been in other relationships and have not cheated as well. I can't be in long distance relationships if I’m not in love with the person. So yes being taken for granted and revenge was a majore one for me.

    Report Abuse
  • Samwel's Avatar
    Posted by Samwel Mon Mar 16, 2009 10:49am PDT

    LOVE IS GOD GIVEN. NO ONE CAN CLAIM TO BE PERFECT IN IT.

    Report Abuse
  • Beto_13's Avatar
    Posted by Beto_13 Mon Mar 16, 2009 11:57am PDT

    Why does anyone bother to cheat. Where did they get that from. You want to cheat go to school and cheat. Waste your time, your life. But when it comes to a relationship, you keep on doing what you are doing. You may go get what you want. You are not always going to want what you get in return either. Keep on giving yourself away. There will be no commitment, no bondage. Nothing. Nothing but pure lust in this world.

    You want to continue meeting new people. It's like meeting a new disease every time. You give yourself away, a price will be paid.

    Report Abuse
  • another hockey fan's Avatar
    Posted by another hockey fan Mon Mar 16, 2009 5:26pm PDT

    I totally agree with all the reasons. When I was in my first marriage I cheated on my husband because I was bored, too young, naive and immature to think about my consequences. He never found out and we did get divorced when I realized I'd never be happy with him for the long haul. I was single for 15 years before I married again in 2008 because I wanted to be sure I was ready in every aspect of my being. Our marriage is everything I ever dreamed and more.

    At any rate, I think it's utterly ridiculous for anyone to marry when they simply cannot trust the other person. So many women and men go on and on about how they can't trust my gf/bf and then they marry them thinking that would change them. It's a dependent, destructive, self esteem issue that will never change until the person doing it WANTS to change it. I do believe a cheater can change, but it's not very common because most people don't want to change for fear of being unaccepted.

    Report Abuse
  • JamieR's Avatar
    Posted by JamieR Tue Mar 17, 2009 4:59am PDT

    i have cheated on my current boyfriend. we have been together for about 8 months now. he is in the navy and at the very begining of our relationship we couldnt see each other that often. we began having a lot of fights and it got to the point were i didnt really know if we were a couple. i would ask him and he wouldnt give me an answer that confirmed we were together. it was very confusing. so one weekend i ended up seeing a guy that i hadnt seen in like a year and we hooked up. the next time i saw my boyfriend i told him what happened. he was mad for awhile. we ended up taking a break for awhile. but he forgave me.

    althought a person may forgive you for something that you do doesnt mean that you dont have to earn there trust back. i cheated on my boyfriend 6 months ago and im still making up for it. so just because they forgive doesnt mean that you dont have to make it up to them. sometimes sorry just doesn't cut it.

    Report Abuse
  • Meka  G's Avatar
    Posted by Meka G Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:07am PDT

    I have cheated in the past but it is usually becasue I'm not getting what I need from the relationship. Before I cheat I do let the person

    know what I am in the need of and what I plan on doing if they don't fullfill my needs.So if I done talked to them about it and they ignore it than it's on them! Sometimes if I know that they are ceating than I cheat to and hide it. But the problem is that I don't like to lie so

    I will tell them sooner or later.

    Report Abuse
  • Nidhi's Avatar
    Posted by Nidhi Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:13am PDT

    love is like dreaming.......always love dont cheat......

    Report Abuse
  • Jess's Avatar
    Posted by Jess Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:38am PDT

    Does it really matter why people cheat? Sure there are lots of reasons we can think up, but when you get right down to it those reasons are really just excuses.

    Report Abuse
  • sitara's Avatar
    Posted by sitara Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:45am PDT

    how it is possible if you are in relationship and you wanna go for another? i always ask that question not at all possible. Keeping feelings in your heart is one thing and running for something you never gonna get is another. don't cheat.

    Report Abuse
  • CarolB's Avatar
    Posted by CarolB Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:52am PDT

    I agree with Jess. It is a choice, if you are in a relationship and chose to cheat why not just end the relationship and then you can do what you want. If you make promises and committment you should keep them, everything else is just an excuse. Why in the world would anybody think cheating is ok becuase of this reason or that.

    Report Abuse
Comments 1-10 of 2,647

leave your comment

You must sign in to post a comment

Sign In for personalized information

New User? Sign Up

Love Byte

Skip the multiple-choice quiz, and read up on if you're a mom, a nag, too clingy, or perfect in every way. Aren't we all?