Cheating is, unfortunately, a common problem in relationships and one that should be investigated as soon as the first red flags appear. Rather than tell yourself that everything is fine when your partner displays strange behavior on a regular basis, it is better to dig deeper and see if there is cause for concern. Needless to say, we think that it is important to find a good balance, as you should not become overly jealous and suspicious at the smallest things.
With that being said, here is how to tell if your partner is cheating on you:
-
Pay attention to their routine
Occasional deviations are understandable and should generally be no reason for concern. But if, for example, your partner starts coming home late on a regular basis or invokes emergencies often, there is enough reason for suspicion. Frequency is what usually makes the difference, seeing how cheating demands more time spent away from home.
-
Analyze their behavior
When cheating, people will often display unusual behavior in front of their partners. This could happen in many ways. One common change in attitude is paranoia: if your partner becomes very apprehensive about you having access to their phones or computers or if they become defensive when questioned about their activities, there’s a good chance that are they are hiding something – usually another relationship.
There are many other changes in attitude that can point towards cheating. Your partner can become emotionally and physically distant, less involved in common activities, quicker to anger and generally act as someone who does not like your presence anymore. This type of behavior is quite common when they find their needs elsewhere. There are, however, some that manage to avoid this behavior due to their worries of raising suspicions. Case in which it is good to pay attention to the other factors mentioned here.
-
See how your partner’s friends act towards you
If you’re thinking “maybe my partner is cheating on me”, it is good to see how his or her friends act towards you. If they seem more anxious in your conversations than usual, it could be that they feel uncomfortable talking to someone friend of theirs is cheating on.
-
Keep track of their claims regarding activities and bring them up at a later time
Someone who is lying a lot will eventually get lost in their stories. Simple things that should be easily remembered will pose serious trouble after only a short while.
Write down what they say and ask the same question a few days later. If they are cheating, they will most likely not be able to keep up with even the most simple answers needed and become defensive as a result.
If you do reach the point of consistently asking yourself “maybe my partner is cheating on me?”, chances are that some of these signs are already there. Our best advice is to be patient and subtle until you catch him or her slipping up. Then we would say it’s best to end the relationship – it is extremely unlikely that you will be able to completely trust a cheater again. Cutting contact, although it can be difficult, is the choice that will save you the most time and worries in the end.