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If your spouse cheated and you want to understand how they were able to go through with it, we asked an expert to break down the psychology of this behavior. Here's How People Who Commit Adultery Justify Cheating, According to an Expert. Cathy Meyer is a certified divorce coach, marriage educator, freelance writer, and founding editor of DivorcedMoms.com.
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As a divorce mediator, she provides clients with strategies and resources that enable them to power through a time of adversity. Landis Bejar is a New York State Licensed Mental Health Counselor and the founder of AisleTalk: Consultation & Therapy. In This Article. When it comes to infidelity within a marriage, adulterers generally know what they're doing is wrong. However, even though they're aware of this moral standpoint, many still convince themselves it's okay to cheat for a number of reasons. Some may say, It's just going to happen once" while others could think, "It's with a stranger, so it doesn't mean anything." Cheaters are ultimately excellent negotiators and will tell themselves just about anything to lessen the guilt of betraying their partner. "The biggest one I hear is, 'I wasn't getting my needs met in the marriage,'" says Rachel Sussman, a relationship expert, licensed psychotherapist, and author of The Breakup Bible . "Both men and women say they feel they weren't getting the emotional connection from their partner that they were looking for," she further explains. But, despite what anyone says, if you've been cheated on, you are not to blame for your spouse's affair. While the cheating partner's feelings may be justified, the action of cheating is not a valid response to those emotions. Meet the Expert. Rachel Sussman, LCSW, is a licensed psychotherapist, relationship expert, writer, lecturer, and founder of the New York City-based therapy practice Sussman Counseling. With all this in mind, if your spouse committed adultery and you want to understand how they were able to go through with it, we asked Sussman to break down the psychology of this action. Read on for more. What Is Adultery? Adultery is when a married person voluntarily engages in sexual intercourse with someone outside of their monogamous marriage. Also known as an "extramarital affair," this type of infidelity often leads to divorce and can have a detrimental effect on the spouse who was cheated on, including anxiety, PTSD, and depression. Common Ways People Justify Adultery. Here, Sussman highlights six things cheaters tell themselves to justify their behavior. Before you dive in, though, always remember this one fact: While it's tempting to define ethical behavior on your own terms, your spouse should know that sleeping with someone else is especially cruel no matter how they try to justify it. "I wasn't getting my needs met." According to Sussman, the most common justification cheaters use is that they weren't getting their needs met in the relationship. They'll often say, "I was lonely" or "I was being ignored," she explains. The cheating partner might also justify their actions by pointing out their partner's issues, such as being controlling, having a drug and alcohol problem, or being inattentive. Some might even say their partner has been too busy with work or the kids and that they no longer feel prioritized. Whatever the reason your spouse may give, the real issue is that they had an affair instead of dealing with their relationship dissatisfaction upfront. Sussman often tells her clients this: "Instead of confronting your spouse, you've chosen to deal with it through going outside of the relationship. So you lost all your credibility as far as getting your partner to change." "My partner doesn't care anyways." Often people who cheat tell themselves that their behavior is justified because their partner doesn't care about them and, therefore, wouldn't care if they strayed. No matter how troubled the relationship might be, however, guessing that a spouse or long-term partner wouldn't care about an affair is a lofty assumption.
Married but looking for an affair
Married but looking to cheat
If your spouse cheated and you want to understand how they were able to go through with it, we asked an expert to break down the psychology of this behavior. Here's How People Who Commit Adultery Justify Cheating, According to an Expert. Cathy Meyer is a certified divorce coach, marriage educator, freelance writer, and founding editor of DivorcedMoms.com.
ENTER TO THE SITE
As a divorce mediator, she provides clients with strategies and resources that enable them to power through a time of adversity. Landis Bejar is a New York State Licensed Mental Health Counselor and the founder of AisleTalk: Consultation & Therapy. In This Article. When it comes to infidelity within a marriage, adulterers generally know what they're doing is wrong. However, even though they're aware of this moral standpoint, many still convince themselves it's okay to cheat for a number of reasons. Some may say, It's just going to happen once" while others could think, "It's with a stranger, so it doesn't mean anything." Cheaters are ultimately excellent negotiators and will tell themselves just about anything to lessen the guilt of betraying their partner. "The biggest one I hear is, 'I wasn't getting my needs met in the marriage,'" says Rachel Sussman, a relationship expert, licensed psychotherapist, and author of The Breakup Bible . "Both men and women say they feel they weren't getting the emotional connection from their partner that they were looking for," she further explains. But, despite what anyone says, if you've been cheated on, you are not to blame for your spouse's affair. While the cheating partner's feelings may be justified, the action of cheating is not a valid response to those emotions. Meet the Expert. Rachel Sussman, LCSW, is a licensed psychotherapist, relationship expert, writer, lecturer, and founder of the New York City-based therapy practice Sussman Counseling. With all this in mind, if your spouse committed adultery and you want to understand how they were able to go through with it, we asked Sussman to break down the psychology of this action. Read on for more. What Is Adultery? Adultery is when a married person voluntarily engages in sexual intercourse with someone outside of their monogamous marriage. Also known as an "extramarital affair," this type of infidelity often leads to divorce and can have a detrimental effect on the spouse who was cheated on, including anxiety, PTSD, and depression. Common Ways People Justify Adultery. Here, Sussman highlights six things cheaters tell themselves to justify their behavior. Before you dive in, though, always remember this one fact: While it's tempting to define ethical behavior on your own terms, your spouse should know that sleeping with someone else is especially cruel no matter how they try to justify it. "I wasn't getting my needs met." According to Sussman, the most common justification cheaters use is that they weren't getting their needs met in the relationship. They'll often say, "I was lonely" or "I was being ignored," she explains. The cheating partner might also justify their actions by pointing out their partner's issues, such as being controlling, having a drug and alcohol problem, or being inattentive. Some might even say their partner has been too busy with work or the kids and that they no longer feel prioritized. Whatever the reason your spouse may give, the real issue is that they had an affair instead of dealing with their relationship dissatisfaction upfront. Sussman often tells her clients this: "Instead of confronting your spouse, you've chosen to deal with it through going outside of the relationship. So you lost all your credibility as far as getting your partner to change." "My partner doesn't care anyways." Often people who cheat tell themselves that their behavior is justified because their partner doesn't care about them and, therefore, wouldn't care if they strayed. No matter how troubled the relationship might be, however, guessing that a spouse or long-term partner wouldn't care about an affair is a lofty assumption.
Married but looking for an affair
Married but looking to cheat