If you’ve ever noticed signs of cheating from your partner, then you likely know the heart_sinking feeling that something isn’t right. These relationship red flags are often subtle, and it doesn’t help that intense emotions and relationship anxiety can make deciphering what’s going on difficult. Then there is the fact that cheating ” isn’t always black and white,” says Samantha Burns, L.M.H.C., couples therapist and author of Breaking Up and Bouncing Back. However, there are some tell–tale signs that something is up.
Cheating can be both physical and emotional, and involves breaking the covert or overt boundaries of your relationship, Burns say. ” Since cheating is cloaked in secrecy, the person is doing their best not to arouse suspicion in their partner, adds a family therapist Lesli Doares author of Blueprint for a Lasting Marriage.
Therefore, according to different therapists, these are some of the signs that will make you realize a cheating partner...READ FULL; FROM THE SOURCE.
1). They are suddenly unreachable
Here, change is the important factor. If your partner has a job that makes it tough to reach them during certain hours of the day, it doesn’t mean they’re cheating. But if you’re suddenly struggling to reach them when you could in the past, and it’s a consistent issue, that should raise a red flag.
“Cheaters need privacy and blocks of uninterrupted time,” Coleman points out. Someone engaged in an ongoing affair must be periodically unreachable. After all they don’t want to risk you hearing suspicious voices or background notices.
2). They have a decrease or increase in libido
“It’s more common for cheaters to decrease the frequency of sex at home given that they are getting it elsewhere,” Coleman says. But sometimes they try to have sex more at home. “Guilt–ridden people may increase lovemaking.” Coleman says. Some will do so to cover their tracks. But some may do so to satisfy a partner so that the partner will not be seeking sex at a later time when the cheater knows he or she won’t be available.
3). Their phone habits change
This can include a range of things like changing their passwords or keeping their phone on them all the time when they used to leave it sitting outside. “In committed relationship, it’s not uncommon to know your partner’s password or be able to pick up their phone to look something up on their internet or snap a cute picture if your phone isn’t nearby,” says Burns. ” If your partner seems possessive over their phone or gets mad when you ask to use it, they may be hiding something.”
4). They become emotionally unavailable
If your partner used to share their thoughts and feelings with you and was equally concerned about yours but something has shifted, it may be worth asking them about it. Emotional availability is important in romantic relationships and a sudden halt to healthy communication could be a red flag
5). They get defensive when you ask why certain things have changed
“Defensiveness tends to be a sign of guilt or avoidance of acknowledging the truth or taking accountability for one’s actions,” Burns says. When someone doesn’t have anything to hide, their reaction may be more empathetic where they’ll take the time to listen to your concerns, validate your feelings, or even come up with ways to help you feel better or improve the relationship. However, if your partner becomes defensive or engages in gaslighting, there may be a chance they are being unfaithful or have something to hide.
