When marriages are affected by affairs and infidelity, it can be challenging to address the issue head-on. Here at South Coast Psychiatric Services, we offer affairs, infidelity, and relationship counseling for couples who may be dealing with these issues. This way, they can attempt to rectify the issues in order to salvage the marriage or relationship. During these therapy sessions, couples aim to identify what they consider infidelity to be, views of the relationship, and assess methods to remediate the relationship.
Infidelity in a romantic relationship can lead to a number of negative emotions, symptoms, and changes. Specifically, it can leave lasting distrust and eventually tear the relationship apart if it’s not addressed. Fortunately, for those willing to get help for infidelity in a relationship, counseling is effective in helping repair trust issues and salvage relationships.
What Exactly is Infidelity?
Different people may have different definitions of infidelity. For instance, what one person may think classifies as cheating, another may not. Is it cheating to watch pornography? Or, to engage with someone on an emotional level? Some people may think that neither of these instances counts as cheating. And, that only sex outside of a relationship is what is considered infidelity. In order to address infidelity and the feelings of inadequacy that infidelity behaviors can incur, it’s important to identify what each person in a relationship feels infidelity truly is. This way, there is a ground to start from and both individuals can begin to learn more about how their spouse/partner is feeling during counseling.
Identifying Reasons for Infidelity
During infidelity and affair counseling, it’s important to identify the reason for infidelity. This way, the couple can address the issues in their relationship so they can move forward and discontinue these behaviors. One of the most common reasons for infidelity is unhappiness and dissatisfaction within a relationship. A healthy, successful relationship is one in which both individuals feel secure, sexually satisfied, and emotionally satisfied. When one of the individuals in a relationship feels they are not satisfied in some way or secure, they may look to find the comfort of others through sexual relations.
However, just because dissatisfaction in a relationship often leads to infidelity, it’s not always the cause of cheating. Sometimes, people can cheat on their partner for other reasons like low self-esteem. Basically, they commit adultery as a means to boost their own egos and confidence. Another example of cheating that’s not due to dissatisfaction in a relationship is to seek an emotional connection.
Examples of reasons why people may cheat in a relationship include:
- Low self-esteem/confidence
- Lack of emotional connection/intimacy
- Sex/love addiction
- As a means to end a marriage/relationship
- Avoidance of personal/relationship issues
- Depression
The Various Types of Infidelity
Although one person’s definition of cheating may differ from another, infidelity occurs when one partner commences a behavior that the partner does deem to be infidelity. So, there are a number of different types of infidelity. These may include:
Emotional Infidelity: This is when someone becomes emotionally connected to someone. Most commonly, this happens with a person of the same gender they are sexually attracted to. When this happens, a person in a committed relationship will look outside of the relationship for advice and any emotional need they should otherwise get from their spouse/partner.
Sexual Infidelity: This type of affair is one that most people think of when they think of infidelity. It is characterized by having sex outside of a marriage/relationship when the committed relatinoship is thought to be monogamous.
Cyber Infidelity: Some consider gaining relationships with others of the same gender they are sexually attracted to online may be considered cheating. This category can also include viewing pornographic material on the internet and exchanging sexualized photographs with others online.
Object Infidelity: This is when a person in a committed relationship stops doing the things to make the other person in the relationship happy to spend time with an object or hobby. Essentially, object infidelity can become a problem when a person begins becoming obsessed with the object or hobby.
How Infidelity Negatively Affects Others
The impacts of infidelity vary. In most cases, infidelity impacts both people who are in a relationship negatively. And, can even impact the lives of others who are close to the relationship. This can include parents, friends, and of course, children. Some of these impacts as a result of infidelity can include:
- The development of anxiety and/or depression
- Lessened self-esteem and self-confidence
- Feelings of hopelessness and/or distress
- Self-shame and guilt
- Uncontrollable anger
- Inability to concentrate/perform responsibilities
- The development of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Help for Infidelity in Relationships: Relationship Counseling in South Florida
Is your marriage or relationship suffering due to infidelity? Are you experiencing any of the symptoms noted above? If so, infidelity and affairs counseling from SouthCoast Psychiatric Services can give you the tools you need to address infidelity in your relationship. And, discover new and healthy ways to move forward with your life. And, with your relationships.
To learn more about our programs, contact us today!