Let's Talk Cheating & Infidelity

Amber Brooks

By: Amber Brooks

Editor: Lillian Castro

Posted:

Not much can beat the heartache of discovering your partner has stepped out on your relationship. We understand your pain and have developed a healing balm of content to help you through it.

Our expert contributors address betrayals in romantic relationships, including emotional and physical cheating, and how to rebuild and heal. We also educate readers on different forms of infidelity, from micro-cheating to cybersex, and how to spot the subtle signs.

Every relationship is different. And people react differently to the painful and complex experience of cheating. So we prepared advice for every type of reader, whether you want to rebuild or move on.

We cover what comes after. Find articles on how to rebuild self-esteem, heal with intention, and manage emotions in the wake of betrayal.
It may seem like there is no antidote for this kind of betrayal, but we promise there is a way out. Hopefully, our expert tips and guidance will be there to get you through each step.

96 Results

What Our Experts Say:

1.
Is He Cheating on You? 10 Signs to Look For
Lauren Sanders

Lauren Sanders

Is your significant other straying from the relationship, or is he really just working overtime? Has there been a certain shift in his behavior that is making you question his faithfulness? I’ve been there.  These are questions that can keep you up at night, and I’m here to answer them for you. Here are 10 signs your man may be cheating on you... 1. Secrecy Secretive behavior is one of the primary signs...

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2.
Digital Affairs Are Here: 61% of Singles Say Sexting or Falling in Love With AI Crosses the Line
Lynn Cadet

Lynn Cadet

Flirting with an AI chatbot might not make most people’s list when asked to describe their worst cheating experience. But for the current generation, this is no longer a distant or far-fetched reality. And as technology continues to evolve, people are drawing new lines in their relationships. According to a new study conducted by DatingAdvice.com in partnership with the Kinsey Institute, “State of Us: National...

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3.
Advice for the More Than Half of Americans Who’ve Been Cheated on
Jamie Ballard

Jamie Ballard

I’m a data journalist and dating writer, so I get pretty pumped for nerdy things like a survey about what people think about sex and love. I have a lot of thoughts about this recent YouGov survey on cheating habits.  The most fascinating finding, in my opinion, is that 33% of Americans admit to having cheated on a partner.  The survey didn’t say explicitly what counts as cheating, so respondents might’ve...

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4.
What Is Micro-Cheating? How It Harms Relationships
Mackenzie Buck

Mackenzie Buck

Technology gives us the chance to have our finger on the pulse of global events in society…and be up in everyone’s business at all times. It’s natural for couples to wonder about each other’s online activities and perhaps stray into a gray area of mistrust. Micro-cheating is a term used to describe “small breaches of trust” in romantic partnerships. Micro-cheating is running rampant within the current dating...

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5.
What Is Cheating? Influencing Factors & Red Flags
Anggi Pradhini

Anggi Pradhini

Infidelity is a dirty secret that's not always so secret these days. You probably know at least one friend who has been cheated on. You might have seen the signs of cheating up close in your family or your relationship. And then you hear about yet another celebrity couple breaking up over a torrid affair – Hugh Jackman, why?! It’s enough to make you want to give up on love entirely, sometimes. Cheating means...

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6.
To Break Up Or Stay Together? How Couples Can Recover After Betrayal
Emma Patterson

Emma Patterson

The Short Version: Couples therapist Jason Polk was honest with us about why the people we love the most betray us — and whether reconciliation is possible. As Jason pointed out, betrayal in a relationship isn’t always cheating; it’s any action on your partner’s part that betrays your trust. By gaining insight into your and your partner’s actions, you can start the process of rebuilding trust.  The aftermath...

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7.
This Therapist Helps Couples Renew Trust and Connection After Betrayal
Jordan Sprogis

Jordan Sprogis

The Short Version: Infidelity is at an all-time high: Around 44% of unmarried couples and 18% of married couples say they have had a physical or emotional affair. Although cheating is one of the leading causes of divorce, some couples make the courageous decision to remain together. This isn’t an easy choice to make, but it is possible to rebuild trust after betrayal, especially with the help of an experienced...

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8.
The Top 9 Most Common Ways Cheaters Get Caught
Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks

For obvious reasons, the exact number of cheaters was once unclear. But that was before we conducted a revealing study. We surveyed more than 1,000 people in a relationship to discover not so much whether they’ve cheated — but how they or their partner got caught red-handed. What we discovered was mind-boggling: 83% have been involved in a cheating relationship, with the stats climbing to a staggering 93% among...

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9.
 What Is an Affair?
Ashayla Blakely

Ashayla Blakely

The word "affair" carries a weight of intrigue in human relationships. An affair typically means a married person cheated on their partner by becoming intimate with another person. It’s a form of betrayal that often leads to heartbreak and divorce. But affairs aren't just about lust and disloyalty. Different types of affairs can stem from unresolved personal traumas, commitment issues, and other psychological...

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10.
Why People Cheat…and How to Heal When Your Partner Does
Chloë Hylkema

Chloë Hylkema

The Short Version: As painful as it is, cheating is part of relationships. Understanding why people cheat can help you understand past relationships scarred by infidelity and learn how to look for partners who won’t cheat. Dr. Stan Tatkin, the founder of PACT Institute, explained the series of communication violations that come with cheating and explored the situations and feelings that come with infidelity. He...

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11.
8 Best Sites Like Ashley Madison[updated_month_year before=" (" after=")"]
Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks

If you're looking for romance outside of your relationship, Ashley Madison is probably the first dating site that comes to mind. Ashley Madison is a popular dating platform designed for exploring casual dating and fantasies without feeling ashamed or judged.  With over 80 million registered users and counting, Ashley Madison has become a major player in the dating scene. Since it launched back in 2001, it's...

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12.
4 Best Cheating Apps[updated_month_year before=" (" after=" Reviews)"]
Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks

We all have certain goals and visions for how we want our love lives to be. Sometimes those visions don’t match reality, and that can cause frustration or despair. It takes action to create the change we want to see in our relationships. For some, maybe that means going to marriage counseling. But others find their eyes and hearts wandering to thoughts of new partners.  If you’re thinking about cheating, some...

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13.
11 Best Apps for Cheating & Affairs[updated_month_year before=" (" after=")"]
Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks

If you find yourself unhappy in your relationship, some apps can help you explore the fantasy of something new. People have various reasons for cheating, even if it's only emotional cheating. Dissatisfaction in the relationship is the most common reason given for infidelity, according to a study from the Journal of Sex Research. Online dating has long been used to pursue secret desires, so it's a natural outlet...

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14.
13 Hookup Sites for Married People[updated_month_year before=" (" after=")"]
Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks

Hookup sites for married folks attract three types of people. First, there are polyamorous couples, also known as swingers, eager to spice things up in the bedroom. Then, you have singles driven by desire, seeking something casual. Finally, you'll find married individuals discreetly browsing for an affair. Affair dating is often considered a hidden secret in the online dating world. Not everyone using these...

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15.
13 Best Affair Dating Sites[updated_month_year before=" (" after=")"]
Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks

The best affair dating sites give people the opportunity to spark new conversations and romances -- without anyone in their real lives being the wiser. Although they have a scandalous image, affair dating sites are quite similar to mainstream dating platforms. They're just more discreet about their introductions. Married individuals can explore fantasies on these sites and might even form genuine relationships...

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16.
What is an Emotional Affair? 4 Things to Know
Hunt Ethridge

Hunt Ethridge

Most people understand the concept of a physical affair. It usually involves sneaking around behind your partner’s back and having a physical and sexual relationship with someone else. Determining whether this is cheating is usually pretty cut and dry. In just about everybody’s rule book, being sexually intimate with someone outside your relationship (without that person’s knowledge) is considered cheating....

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17.
Dr. Doug Weiss Started the Heart to Heart Counseling Center to Bring Healing to Couples Facing Sex Addiction, Infidelity & “Intimacy Anorexia”
Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks

The Short Version: Dr. Doug Weiss, of Heart to Heart Counseling Center, has made it his life's mission to heal broken hearts and reinforce relationships. He runs intensive counseling sessions in Colorado Springs to address sexual addiction, intimacy anorexia, infidelity, and other personal issues. Throughout the last 30 years, Doug and his team of trained psychologists have motivated and educated people on the path...

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18.
Victoria Milan™ Offers Discretion and Simplicity for International Users Seeking Extramarital Affairs
Hayley Matthews

Hayley Matthews

The Short Version: Every cheating spouse seeks an extramarital affair for a different reason. While some may be dissatisfied with their partners, others date outside of their primary relationships specifically to preserve those unions. Whatever the reason for seeking out additional partners or relationships, Victoria Milan provides a secure platform for finding and chatting with potential romantic connections. The...

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19.
11 Best Free Married Dating Apps[updated_month_year before=" (" after=")"]
Hayley Matthews

Hayley Matthews

Married dating apps and sites cater to people who want to find romance in a private, naughty, and sexually permissive domain full of swingers, singles, and cheaters. Infidelity is the siren call that attracts and seduces many married people -- despite the consequences. In about one-third of marriages, one or both partners have cheated, according to a 2017 survey conducted by Trustify, an online private...

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20.
Ashley Madison Helps Married People Have Discreet Affairs While Preserving Their Unions
Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks

The Short Version: AshleyMadison.com isn’t a conventional dating site because most of its users don’t want to build long-term relationships or marriages; they want to find partners for extramarital affairs. Infidelity is quite common in marriages, and Ashley Madison wants its users to understand that affairs don’t have to lead to divorce. The site has robust security features and allows users to interact with each...

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21.
Ms. Hitch is a No-Nonsense Coach and Matchmaker Who Helps Clients Get — and Stay — Hitched
Suzanne Wentley

Suzanne Wentley

The Short Version: It's pretty rare to find a matchmaker who will say, "You’re not in any position to get matched yet." But Danielle Metcalf, known professionally as Ms. Hitch, is a mental toughness love coach who takes a different approach in preparing clients to find — and sustain — love. Ms. Hitch works with couples and individuals, including some celebrity clients, to provide them with life lessons and straight...

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22.
Couples Therapist Idit Sharoni Can Transform Relationships With a Structured Counseling Plan
Charlotte Edwards

Charlotte Edwards

The Short Version: Soon after opening her private practice, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Idit Sharoni found her calling in helping couples work through difficult relationship issues. Through her ongoing professional education, Idit has developed a structured process and acquired a toolbox of resources. She uses that expertise to guide couples through effective and meaningful sessions. Idit, whose practice...

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23.
13 Best Apps for Cheating[updated_month_year before=" (" after=")"]
Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks

The internet is the go-to secret keeper of the dating world. Many people use the web to look into private desires and play out fantasies they hope never see the light of day. Maybe that's how you ended up on this article. Maybe you're thinking about cheating and want to know how you can dip a toe in the online dating waters without anyone being the wiser. I can't say it's ever impossible to get caught online...

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24.
Aussie Affair™ Allows Australians in Relationships to Explore Their Options on a Discreet Dating Site
Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks

The Short Version: If you're in a relationship, online dating can present many challenges. General dating sites often inadvertently foster dishonest dating profiles because they usually don't offer options for relationship statuses other than "I'm single." In 2002, David Rees started Married Affair, a UK-based online dating brand, to remove users in committed relationships from the general dating pool and provide...

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25.
9 Best Secret Dating Apps[updated_month_year before=" (" after=")"]
Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks

Secret dating apps are the ally of men and women who are looking for romance while in a relationship. In season three of "Friends," the typically lighthearted television show touches on some heavy relationship issues. The trouble starts when Ross infamously spends the night with the girl from the copy place while "on a break" with Rachel. Ross is frantic in his attempt to cover his tracks after his one-night...

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26.
Is He Cheating Online? 7 Signs From a Relationship Coach
Hunt Ethridge

Hunt Ethridge

Cheating is bad -- let’s just say that right off the bat. It’s a betrayal of trust and is never healthy in a relationship. If we're talking about online activity, though, sometimes it's hard to tell what's considered cheating. Is sexting cheating? Is having a subscription to a cam girl site cheating? Is it cheating to be talking to your ex and lying about it? All debatable. We don’t want to necessarily get into the...

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27.
14 Best Affair Dating Sites[updated_month_year before=" (" after=")"]
Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks

The best affair sites allow open-minded men and women to explore their feelings and passions without blowing up their personal lives. "The Affair," a popular TV show that launched in 2014 on Showtime, tells the story of how Noah Solloway and Alison Lockhart became secret lovers. The two started having an extramarital relationship after they meet in Montauk, a resort town outside of New York City. The TV series...

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28.
Should You Stay With a Cheater?
Michelle Johnson

Michelle Johnson

“Delusion detests focus and romance provides the veil.”― Suzanne Finnamore Would you ever choose to stay with a partner who cheats? It’s easy to say you would leave a relationship without even a backward glance if someone you were involved with cheated on you. However, the choice isn’t always so clear-cut or obvious in real life. Once your life is intertwined with another person and an emotional or physical bond...

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29.
6 Possible Outcomes When Dating a Married Lesbian
Mary Gorham Malia

Mary Gorham Malia

So you're dating a married lesbian? Yes, it happens and more often than most people would think. I receive many emails every month from women telling me they are dating a married woman and life has become a real mess. Well, of course it has! Sometimes love just shows up and surprises us. Married women can be lonely, sad and feel stuck in a marriage that isn’t working, and when a woman shows up and pays attention to...

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30.
Should You Hire a PI If Your Girlfriend is Cheating?
Randy Mitchell

Randy Mitchell

Let’s say a few weeks/months ago you met the woman of your dreams. You two are getting along like clams, have scores of things in common, the physical chemistry is through the roof, you seem to be emotionally  well-connected and are having thoughts of a life together. You’re on cloud nine. Things are firing on all cylinders. All the hours of mindless TV and eating Chinese leftovers at night will soon be a distant...

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Amber Brooks

By: Amber Brooks

Editor-in-Chief

Amber Brooks is the Editor-in-Chief at DatingAdvice.com. When she was growing up, her family teased her for being "boy crazy," but she preferred to think of herself as a budding dating and relationship expert. As an English major at the University of Florida, Amber honed her communication skills to write clearly, knowledgeably, and passionately about a variety of subjects. Now with over 1,800 lifestyle articles to her name, Amber brings her tireless wit and relatable experiences to DatingAdvice.com. She has been quoted by the Washington Times, Cosmopolitan, The New York Post, and AskMen, among others.

See Amber's full bio »

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