Psychology Diary

The First Step Toward Change Is Awareness

  • Home
  • Relationships
  • Mental Health
  • Expert Tips
  • Life
  • Family
  • Marriage

10 Reasons Behind Infidelity

December 6, 2021 · Relationships
infidelity
Photo by Elnur from shutterstock.com

1. Physical addiction 

There are times when a partner that has cheated says that their physical needs weren’t met. The other partner remains astonished, saying that they were being intimate five or six times a week.

At first, we might believe that the one who cheated might say that as an excuse, but in reality, if you think about it from another point of view, you can ask yourself some questions: “Is that person asking for something that the other person is not able to give? Is there a pattern of infidelity? Is there an urge to fulfill other physical needs?”. If this is the case, then we might say that physical addiction can be the center of the problem.

On the other hand, we can’t put all the blame on addiction, because everyone has the right to choose their actions. Often, there are other underlying issues that should be taken into accounts, such as validation, childhood issues, or emotional connections.

…Did you know that physical addiction can be a cause of infidelity?

2. Emotional connection

Although this is not at the top of the list, if you analyze the core problem behind an affair, this might be number one. According to several articles and studies about cheating, women are the ones who are more likely to run into somebody else’s arms. But we shouldn’t neglect men, just because women tend to express their emotions more. This is an issue that occurs in both men and women.

When somebody feels connected to someone else, they are willing to spend more time together, and therefore take their relationship to another level. Also, when people feel like they are connected on an emotional level, they are more likely to want to connect on other levels as well.

If you remember another topic that we have tackled, we have talked about different ways people cheat. Just because someone didn’t take it to the full physical level: often speaking to someone else, sneaking around, and going on dates behind someone’s back still counts as cheating.

3. Physical needs that are not fulfilled 

We all know that a good and healthy relationship needs a lot of things, such as communication, honesty, surprises, and an active intimate life. These things are the key ingredients to a long-lasting and happy relationship. They make people feel connected, important, loved, and listened to.

Being intimate with your partner should be a mutual commitment that needs to happen regularly. In most relationships, even the strongest ones, there is some sort of discrepancy between the partner’s desires, and that is completely normal. The tricky part is how the couple can meet in the middle.

If one of the partners refuses the other one often, it gives the impression that there is no more interest in their partner. These things can lead to other issues that might make a person cheat, such as a lack of validation and even an emotional connection.

4. Validation

Just like taking care of children, and making them feel loved, appreciated, and worthy, the same rule applies to your partner. People need to feel loved, they need to feel like they are needed and being taken care of.

There are many cases where people don’t have self-confidence, they don’t think they are worthy enough, so they are always looking for external validation. This is why experts always suggest that you should love yourself first, before committing to a relationship.

If someone is always looking for an intimate connection with other people, it means that they need to feel attractive, desirable, wanted and good enough. However, this validation is temporary, and it comes with regrets and shame so the validation that was received is only short-term.

5. Love

Yes, you read that right. Sometimes, even though they are involved in a serious relationship, people can develop feelings for someone else. According to experts, it is possible and doable for people to be attracted and to love more than one person, just like it is possible to love more than a single child.

Love can’t happen accidentally. You can always make a choice, and when someone falls in love, they allow themselves to do so. That’s because you need some things from other people, in order to fall in love. You need interaction, you need connection, and flirting. People have to spend time together to get to know each other.

This is why when someone says that they just happened to fall in love, it’s nonsense because there is at least one reason that makes people fall in love with one another.

Pages: 1 2 3

Share this article

Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Email

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search

Latest Posts

  • An adult in a knit sweater sits on a window sill on a gray day, looking out over a misty city with a steaming mug. 10 Subtle Signs You're Just Existing, Not Truly Living
  • Editorial illustration of a person surrounded by a protective warm watercolor aura, deflecting dark droplets on textured paper. 10 Common Psychological Defense Mechanisms - Which One Do You Use?
  • A mixed-media collage silhouette of a person made from torn paper, charcoal sketches, and ink washes, representing fragmented self-trust. 9 Signs of an Emotionally Abusive Relationship
  • A mixed media collage of a human silhouette with layered torn paper in indigo and gold, symbolizing trapped physical energy and healing. 10 Signs Your Body is Holding Trauma
  • An illustration of an adult walking forward, casting a shadow that reveals a towering parental figure behind them. 10 Signs You Were Raised by a Narcissist
  • An editorial gouache illustration of a woman's profile transitioning from concrete architecture to elegant fashion lines. Who Was Melania Before She Met Donald Trump? (A Psychological Portrait)
  • An ink and watercolor illustration of a person holding a large ceramic vase with glowing gold cracks, symbolizing hidden internal pressure. The Psychology of the Person Who Is Always Fine Until They Absolutely Aren't
  • A woman sits in a sunlit home library, looking thoughtfully out a window with an open book on her lap. 12 Signs of a High IQ
  • A candid photograph of a tense moment between a couple in a sunlit kitchen, one partner looking exhausted while the other looks away. 8 Traits of Someone Who Always Has to Be Right
  • A conceptual paper collage portrait made of torn fragments representing a fragmented digital identity with blue screen patterns. 10 Clues Someone Has a False Online Identity

Newsletter

Get the latest posts delivered to your inbox.

Related Articles

An editorial ink and watercolor illustration of a lonely figure fading into soft gray washes, symbolizing emotional vulnerability.

10 Warning Signs You May Be in an Emotionally Abusive Relationship

Learn the 10 critical warning signs of an emotionally abusive relationship, from gaslighting to financial…

Read More →
men

6 Things Men Secretly Do (and NEVER Admit To)

1. Sometimes they prefer to sit down when using the toilet This ability has always…

Read More →

9 Things Men Do When They’re Just Not Into You

Relationships are not all rainbows and unicorns. In the early stages of a relationship, potential…

Read More →
set healthy boundaries. things you should stop after 60,

7 Ways to Set Healthy Boundaries With Your Family

Do you know how to set healthy boundaries with your family? When you think about…

Read More →
A mixed-media collage of a fragmented silhouette head with an anchor being cut, symbolizing the loss of one's grip on reality.

10 Signs Someone Is Trying to Distort Your Reality

Learn to identify the 10 warning signs of reality distortion and emotional manipulation, empowering you…

Read More →
partners-silent-treatment-2 activity

9 Harmful Ways Silent Treatment Can Damage Your Relationship

Harmful Consequences of Silent Treatment On Your Relationship Communication breakdown Communication between partners is the…

Read More →
dream about your ex dreams

7 Intriguing Reasons You Dream About Your Ex

Do you dream about your ex? When I first got into my first serious relationship,…

Read More →
forgive

Is It Possible To Forgive An Adulterous Partner? 11 Ways to Do It

Relationships and marriages are built on trust, respect, love, and two people committed to one…

Read More →
A mixed media collage of a person's face with shifting, layered textures and torn paper edges symbolizing a mental break.

10 Signs of a Psychotic Break

Discover the 10 early signs of a psychotic break, understand the crucial prodromal phase, and…

Read More →

Psychology Diary

The First Step Toward Change Is Awareness

Inedit Agency S.R.L.
Bucharest, Romania

contact@psychologydiary.com

Explore

  • About Us
  • Advertiser Disclosure
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Do not sell my personal information
  • Editorial Policy
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Subscribe
  • Unsubscribe

Categories

  • Expert Tips
  • Family
  • Life
  • Marriage
  • Mental Health

© 2026 Psychology Diary. All rights reserved.