In most western countries, the societal expectation of fidelity in a monogamous partnership lies between 60-100%. Although fidelity in a partnership seems to be very important to many people, various statistics and surveys show that many people still cheat. These statistics are of limited value and vary depending on the region and the respondents‘ anonymity.
Many people believe that only people who are unhappy in their relationship cheat. But there are also happy relationships in which „newness“ just seems too enticing or the temptation is too great.
Studies show that most people who cheat are lacking closeness or intimacy in their relationship, or rather the distance between the partners is too big. In heterosexual relationships, men seem to experience closeness through sex, while women mostly need closeness to have sex. Recent studies also show that women now seem to be „catching up“ in terms of cheating rates.
There are people who are more prone to have an affair. This includes people who are too self-absorbed that they can easily push the boundaries of a monogamous relationship. This also includes people with poor impulse control or a severe feeling of overload. Cheating by having sex can be misinterpreted as relaxing and taking that load off. Cheating is one of the leading reasons for the end of a relationship.
In the next article you will find out what motives there can be for an affair and what could be the reasoning behind it.
Praxis für Hypnosetherapie 