Infidelity is a behavior and experience that will greatly challenge any relationship. As a therapist, I’ve worked with many people trying to put their lives back together after an affair and I understand the profound impact that betrayal can have on individuals and couples. In this blog post, I’ll outline the various forms of infidelity, discuss the repercussions of betrayal, and explore the underlying reasons many people betray their significant other when in relationship.
Forms of Infidelity
Infidelity extends beyond the physical affair and can manifest in different forms, such as emotional, intellectual, and even virtual infidelity. Emotional infidelity involves forming a significant emotional connection with someone outside the relationship, creating a profound breach of trust. Intellectual infidelity may manifest when an individual seeks intellectual or creative stimulation beyond the confines of their partnership, neglecting to share these experiences with their significant other. In our hyperconnected digital age, virtual infidelity has become increasingly prevalent, with social media interactions and online connections blurring the lines of fidelity. What all forms of infidelity share is secrecy.
The Impact of Betrayal
Fractured trust is difficult to restore, leading to a strained and wounded relationship. The aftermath of infidelity is tumultuous for both partners involved, but in very different ways. The betrayed individual may experience a range of emotions, including shock, anger, sadness, grief, and a profound sense of loss. The impact of betrayal is not only emotional but can have lasting effects on their self-esteem, confidence, and overall world view. The betrayer often faces consequences brought on by their actions, and may feel guilt, shame, anxiety, and a diminished sense of self-worth because they didn’t model integrity through their actions.
Excuses, Secrecy, and Unmet Needs
One common inclination after infidelity is the tendency for the betrayer to come up with excuses to justify or minimize their actions or to keep the betrayal hidden. This may stem from fear of confrontation, the desire to avoid negative consequences, or a misguided attempt to preserve the relationship. If someone isn’t willing to do the hard work to uncover what triggered the desire to have an affair, they will likely do it again, or at best settle with unmet needs personally or relationally.
An affair is never about a third person but usually manifests because the betrayer isn’t actualizing something in their own life that needs to be pursued and developed which a third person comes to symbolize. Or it may be a result of unmet relationship needs the betrayer didn’t communicate, or perhaps did talk about, but didn’t produce change, and they chose to stay despite the relationship not meeting those needs. Regardless, the consequences of withholding the truth of an affair from self or significant other is far more damaging in the long run, and a lack of insight regarding unmet needs, coupled with a failure to openly address relationship issues, creates division in any relationship.
Moving Forward After Infidelity
As a therapist, my goal is to support individuals and couples in addressing the root causes of their relationship struggles. It’s essential for both partners to engage in open and honest communication, explore unmet needs, and gain insight into existential callings while fostering a deep understanding of each other’s emotional landscape. Therapy provides a safe space for people to express their feelings, fears, and desires, paving the way for healing and growth.
Rebuilding a relationship after infidelity is undoubtedly challenging but not impossible. It requires commitment, patience, and a willingness to confront underlying issues that led to the betrayal. While my experience is that most couples don’t survive an affair, the ones that do survive end up strengthening their relationship and taking it to a whole new level. It requires the person who committed infidelity to be patient, accept the consequences of their actions, exercise empathy, do a deep dive into their self and needs, and be fiercely honest and vulnerable. It requires the person betrayed to also be patient with the process, endure the experience of grief, manage the array of strong emotions triggered by the affair, leave room for trust to develop, be open to forgiveness and willingly choose vulnerability and its inherent risks.
Through therapy and hard work, couples can gain valuable insights, learn effective communication skills, and work towards rebuilding trust, but it requires a complete overhaul of the relationship and often the self in the process.