This content includes information from experts in their field and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions as it pertains to all aspects of your daily life. We constantly strive to provide you with the best information possible.It's no secret that cheating is a dealbreaker for plenty of people in relationships.
Weiss says the most common definition of cheating is engaging in any kind of physical intimacy with someone outside the relationship. However, some people view different sexual acts through a different lens. For instance, while you may think of penetrative sex as an unmistakable example of cheating, oral sex, kissing, or holding hands could be considered grayer areas to some.can be just as complex.
, PsyD."An individual may lack the courage, communication skills, or the ability to effectively and honestly end a relationship in which they feel unhappy or disconnected. In some situations, after persistent failed attempts to end a relationship, a partner might feel that there is no other way out than to behave in a manner that will lead to the end of the relationship.
"Some individuals endlessly seek out people who have attributes, capabilities, or traits they admire and lack in themselves, rather than develop their skills, capabilities, and traits they admire in others for themselves," the psychologist explains."In real life and real relationships, someone looking for self-actualization from their partner is often let down and looks outside of their relationship for what they are not getting from their partner.
Goldberg agrees that this is a common catalyst for cheating."Relationships can become monotonous, and a new person can present as exciting and tempting," she says. "People who suspect that their partner has in the past or is currently cheating on them may cheat on them as a means of retaliation," agrees Vermani.Sometimes, people cheat because they have unresolved issues from their own childhoods or family structures. Without a healthy relationship to model their own after, they may simply not have the tools to stay committed in a relationship.