Serial cheating isn’t limited to sexual encounters with other people
When it comes to serial cheaters, awareness of the impact of their actions and a desire to forge new, positive behaviors are necessary to promote change in a relationship.
In most circumstances, cheating, or infidelity, involves the formation of an emotionally intimate or sexual bond, or both, with someone other than your primary partner.
The connection occurs in a way that breaks your current relationship boundaries and redirects your attention away from your original partner’s needs.
Cheating once study found people who cheated in a previous relationship were almost three times more likely to cheat in another relationship. Cheating that happens multiple times is known as serial cheating.
Serial cheating isn’t restricted to a length of time, either. Multiple, separate situations of unfaithfulness – no matter how far they’re spaced apart- can be defined as serial cheating.
If you’re wondering about whether or not a serial cheater can change, the answer often lies in why someone repeats cheating behaviors.
Dr. David Tzall, a licensed psychologist in New York City, explains serial cheating can emerge from complex causes like trauma and insecure attachment. Cheating can also occur from psychological conditions of:
- narcissism
- impulsivity
Sometimes, serial cheating may be a reflection of the overall health of a relationship. “A lack of emotional or physical intimacy, poor communication, unresolved conflicts, or unmet expectations within a relationship can lead some individuals to seek fulfillment elsewhere,” he says.
Even when faced with the complex challenges that often underlie serial cheating, people are capable of modifying their behaviors. Trauma, psychological conditions, and relationship health are all things that can be improved with the proper guidance and treatment. (suite…)
