Cheating and infidelity are things that we unfortunately often hear about, and a question always comes up when we do: why did they do it? There are different reasons why someone may cheat, and those are different between men and women.
Relationship expert Tracey Cox recently listed the six reasons why women might feel the need to cheat in a relationship.
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The first reason is emotional neglect
Emotional neglect entails inattentiveness from one’s partner. According to Roubicek & Thacker Counseling, it’s when a partner repeatedly fails to notice or attend to their significant other’s feelings.
A number of factors could be causing this, such as a stressful career, an unorganized lifestyle, or other social issues that the innocent partner may face.
However, it can still be identified
While emotional neglect may be difficult to identify in a relationship, a few signs can help point it out.
A couple of these can be feeling lonely in the relationship and feeling like it’s not clear what your partner wants or expects from you.
The second reason may be vengeance
Cox told Daily Mail that if you’ve been wronged by your partner in the past, cheating may feel like a means of getting back at them.
She says, “It’s not just about evening the score: it’s about reclaiming a sense of agency and dignity in a relationship where we feel wronged.”
Cox isn’t the only one who thinks vengeance is a common reason
Her explanation is also featured in the study ‘Once a Cheater, Always a Cheater?’ published by Kayla Knopp.
The study states that if cheating has taken place in the relationship before, it’s more likely to happen again regardless of which partner is the perpetrator.
The third reason is a grapple for power
This is similar to the need for vengeance, whereby a woman may cheat on her partner to compensate for a power imbalance in the relationship.
The imbalance could be within age, money, or status, and may cause women to feel second-best, giving them more reason to cheat.
Cheating may feel like a regain of control
“In relationships marked by emotional or psychological imbalances, having an affair is a way of reclaiming a sense of control,” explains Cox.
Marriage and family therapist Emily Heard has advised on how to face this: “name your vulnerability, and trust your partner cares enough about you to honor it.”
Another reason may be the lack of sexual satisfaction
Cox explains that dissatisfaction with one’s partner sexually may cause them to cheat. She said, “Sex might be fourth on the list of motivators for women in the study, but we’re still susceptible to being seduced if sex with our partner is boring and dull.”
The fifth reason is the need for independence
Cox says that the lack of alone time can strain a relationship, as the expectations from your partner and the responsibilities that come with the relationship may become too hard to maintain.
Therefore, independent time in a relationship is important to keep it healthy.
Time is needed just to be you
Cox explains that cheating may be a way some women find independence from their straining relationship.
She says, “The constant stress of juggling career, motherhood, work, and other responsibilities leave many women feeling unappreciated and overwhelmed.”
The final reason may be boredom
Cox explains, “Nearly eight percent of women said they’d cheated simply because they were bored; another five percent said they did it because they wanted novelty.”
If you notice your relationship falling into a dull routine, try to combat the boredom with new activities before cheating on your partner.
