When you discover someone has cheated on you, how do you approach them?

When you discover someone has cheated on you, how do you approach them?

Nobody expects their spouse to cheat on them when they first start dating. Everyone likes to think the best of the people they care about, so finding out that your partner has been unfaithful may be devastating.

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It’s not always clear what to do if you suspect or have confirmation that your partner has cheated on you. What is the best way to confront your partner about cheating? What should an infidelity talk entail? What if you want to keep your relationship together?

Aside from throwing their things on the lawn, there are ways to have that unpleasant conversation in a way that minimizes both parties’ heartbreak and potentially even facilitates a path forward.
To begin, take a deep breath and assess the information available to you.

Take a look at what makes you suspect they’re lying.
If you’ve ever been the victim of infidelity, it’s simple to spot it in every hour that your partner works late or every time their phone rings with a number you don’t recognize.

Do you have evidence that your boyfriend has cheated on you? You’re relying on your partner’s sense of honesty and openness to get the truth without proof. Honesty and openness are clearly not objectives for your partner if they are having an unlawful affair.

“Without proof, you will appear (or be seen) as a suspicious fool at best, and at worst, you will ensure that your cheating partner learns to cover their tracks better.

If you have proof in the form of emails, texts, poop, or firsthand statements from trusted friends or family, you should consider confronting them.

Consider what kind of result you want.

What is the ultimate goal of this discussion?
When you’re sure you want to face your partner, think about what you want to happen as a result of that encounter.

Do you want to be together forever? What would that look like if that were the case? What steps do you and your partner need to take to become better? What steps do you think your partner should take to regain your trust?

Do you want to end your relationship? If that’s the case, how do you notify the kids? Who needs to relocate? Do you have any financial assets that you want to split? What about animals?

You may not always know what you want. Depending on how much knowledge you have about the infidelity, you may not feel you have all the data you need to consider the relationship’s future or end.

“‘I need to speak with him/her to obtain clarity,’ you might say. I’m not sure what I want.’ If this is the case, your goal should be to acquire facts so that you can make an informed decision “Robert C. Jameson, a marriage and family therapist, told HuffPost.

Determine what information you require and what information you do not require.

What exactly do you need to know?
When they discover their partner has cheated on them, some people become eager for knowledge. They want to know people’s names, addresses, dates, and the specifics of their contacts.

Others aren’t interested in receiving all of that information. Having specifics can make it easy to conjure up a mental image of your partner cheating, exacerbating your anguish and anger.

Make a list of what you want to know and what you don’t want to know. Sit down with a pen and paper and jot down any questions you have, as you may forget them during what will undoubtedly be an emotional discussion.

Decide on a good time and place to have the chat.

Choose a secure location for your conversation.
Set aside some time with your partner when you won’t be interrupted by phones, visitors, work, or children. Make sure you meet in a secure location where you both feel comfortable. Avoid consuming alcohol and make a plan for what you’ll do after the chat, such as staying at your parents’ place, running, or meeting up with a buddy.

Stick to the facts as you know them during the dialogue. Present any proof you have of your partner’s infidelity to them and ask them to reply.

While it’s normal to vent or become upset in these situations, try to avoid being aggressive or phrasing your queries as accusatory rather than exploratory.

Instead of thinking, “How could you betray me like way?” think, “I’m feeling wounded and would like to talk about this.” According to research, being asked too many direct questions causes people to become emotionally shut down, defensive, and even lie. Ask open-ended inquiries and allow your companion do the talking.

Consider having the conversation in a public area or in the presence of supporting friends or family if you believe your partner will become hostile or otherwise unsafe during the confrontation. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is also a wonderful place to go if you want to learn more about how to deal with a situation like this.

Try to pay attention to your partner’s explanation on why they cheated.

It may enable you to work on a relationship issue in some situations.

It’s possible that your partner’s infidelity has no explanation other than the number of drinks they had that night. It’s also conceivable that your partner acted in response to issues in the relationship that they saw.

“Cheating doesn’t happen in a vacuum, “It’s crucial to be honest about your part in the relationship.” “It’s easy to play the victim, yet infidelity usually occurs because the cheater feels abandoned, abused, or unvalued. That doesn’t excuse that person’s actions, but it helps explain them, and it demonstrates that the cheating was a symptom, not the underlying issue.”

However, there is a significant distinction between justifying betrayal (i.e. making excuses) and explaining why they cheated.

Allowing your spouse to express any discontent with your relationship that may have contributed to their infidelity is crucial, but you should not be tricked into feeling responsible for the problem. Cheating is a conscious decision, not a result of circumstance.

Make a strategy for what you’ll do when the chat is finished.
It’s unlikely that an hour or two of discussion will totally address the matter. When one of you or both of you feel that the conversation can no longer be productive, work out your next steps together.

In some circumstances, the next step will be to schedule a follow-up conversation and determine what type of space you both require in the meantime. In other circumstances, you may decide to put the relationship on hold while you work through your feelings.

Whatever the conclusion, having a conversation about your partner’s infidelity is an important step in healing or ending the relationship with closure.

“People deceive for a variety of reasons. At the time, they may be in love with their partners. Extramarital affairs are caused by a variety of factors, including sex addiction, emotional insecurity, and retaliation. None of them are ideal, but knowing why they exist might be beneficial.”

Confronting your partner when they betray is a difficult task, but it is important if you want to restore your relationship’s honesty and transparency.