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

  • A person sits alone on a sofa at dusk, looking exhausted and leaning their head on their hand in a dimly lit, lived-in living room. 8 Signs You’re Emotionally Drained By Someone Close To You
  • Illustration of a person looking into a mirror, oblivious to the people around them who are fading into the background. 8 Keys to Recognizing the Faces of Egocentric Behavior
  • A mixed media collage of an anatomical heart being slowly stained by dark ink, symbolizing the corrosive nature of unspoken resentment. 7 Signs Someone Is Secretly Resentful Toward You
  • A mixed-media collage showing a human silhouette with a fractured internal wooden frame, representing the delicate architecture of trust. 8 Behaviors That Reveal Someone Has Deep Trust Issues
  • An elderly man sits alone at a kitchen table in soft afternoon light while his adult daughter watches from the doorway with concern. Why Some People Become More Difficult With Age—According to Psychologists
  • Conceptual paper-craft illustration of a brain with glowing neural pathways and botanical growth representing cognitive health. The Link Between Physical Activity and Mental Sharpness After 60
  • A senior woman in a sunlit room excitedly examines a green leaf through a magnifying glass, surrounded by plants and gardening tools. Why Seniors Who Stay Curious Live Longer—And How to Cultivate It
  • A man in his 60s working with clay in a pottery studio, symbolizing the transition from a career to a new personal purpose. How to Rebuild Your Identity and Purpose After You Stop Working
  • A single coffee mug on a wooden table next to an empty chair in a sunlit kitchen, representing the quiet of loss. How to Cope with Grief After Losing a Spouse in Retirement
  • An older woman in a knit sweater sits on a porch at dawn, holding a steaming mug and looking thoughtfully at a misty garden. The Power of Gratitude: How Seniors Can Use It to Live Happier Lives

Newsletter

Get the latest posts delivered to your inbox.

Related Articles

relationship

10 Reasons Why Staying in a Relationship Is a Terrible Idea

As humans, we are social creatures, therefore, we need human connection in order to feel…

Read More →
Toxic Behaviors

6 Toxic Behaviors Your Partner Would Avoid If They Really Loved You

These toxic behaviors are not part of a loving relationship! Being in love is a…

Read More →
love

6 Of Hollywood’s Most Famous Love Triangles

We all know this already: dating is hard. We’ve been through it, we have experienced…

Read More →
Breakup

Are You Headed Toward a Breakup? Here Are 10 Signs

Breakups aren’t fun. Know the warning signs before it’s too late! Oh, new relationships…how wonderful…

Read More →
trust, marriage ready life, adult children mistakes

How to Trust Your Partner Again After Betrayal

You can’t have a healthy, long-lasting relationship if you don’t have trust. Trust doesn’t come…

Read More →
partner

If Your Partner Does These 6 Things, They’re a Control Freak

1. Your partner is jealous Jealousy is a complex emotion that usually manifests as an…

Read More →
mommy issues

5 Signs a Man Might Have Unresolved Mommy Issues

Do they have mommy issues? Find out now! “Mommy issues” is a thing that we…

Read More →

The 10 Stages Of a Breakup-How to Make it More Bearable

We’ve established already that breakups suck and sometimes they hurt like hell. You’re left without…

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 →

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.