Causes Of Infidelity

The many causes of infidelity.

Most relationships experience difficult times, but infidelity can be one of the worst.  The betrayed partner is often left with a myriad of negative feelings and no resolution.  Rarely is the “victim” of infidelity able to get a sufficient explanation for their partner’s indiscretions, and are quite often left with feelings of self-doubt, inferiority and low self esteem.  When in actual fact in most instances the causes of infidelity have little or nothing to do with the betrayed partner and everything to do with the cheater.

I decided to interview several people who confess to infidelity and in an effort to shed light and give the victim some understanding I outline some of the more frequent causes of infidelity.  These are the causes of infidelity as given by the culprits.

Complacency is a common reason for infidelity.  Some people may wish to relieve the boredom and predictability of their lives and the thrill and excitement of the forbidden fruit is the perfect way for them to do it.  For many people at the time of the indiscretion their spouse if often the furthest things from their mind.  In the mind of this type of cheater, one has nothing to do with the other.  This is just sex, but I love my partner.

Peer Pressure can be as brutal for some adults as it is for adolescents.  Often times a person can find themselves in a situation that leads them to behave in a manner that is not consistent with their normal behaviors, and this can lead to infidelity.  Think company conventions, out of state business meetings, and the famous fishing weekends.  If a person finds their self in a situation where everyone else is doing it, they may do it just to conform.

Anger causes infidelity.  Quite often a person with a lot of anger can act out in certain ways.  One of which is infidelity.  Your partner may be angry with you for something specific or with life in general, and infidelity may be their way of acting out.    

Jealousy can be another cause of infidelity.  This sometimes occurs when the cheater is feeling neglected.  Perhaps their partner has been working long hours or there is a new baby in the house.  These things can cause a perceived lack of attention, which can result in their seeking attention outside of the home.

 Revenge is a strong culprit.  If a person believes their partner has cheated, real or perceived, they in turn may cheat as a form of revenge.  Two wrongs certainly do not make a right, but it takes a mature mind to understand that.

 Intentional infidelity occurs when someone either believes the relationship will not last, so therefore they seek to end it first or when someone wants to end the relationship but is unsure of how.  Once they have committed the infidelity, they can be the bad person and the relationship ends with no further contact.