Why women cheats

Figuring out why some wives cheat on their husbands is worth looking into. Walker, an associate professor of sociology at Missouri State University. Turns out, the cheating wife is not an anomaly.

And depending on the age group and behavior, sometimes women cheat even more often than men. So why do women cheat? Some women cheat to avoid boredom; other women cheat because they feel neglected. Still, other women say they cheat just because they want to. The reasons for infidelity are complex and unique to each relationship.

I literally saw an opportunity and took advantage of it. Depending on the care and nurturing or lack thereof that one receives as a child, they'll fall into one of three attachment styles as adults: secure having well-adjusted expectations and approaches to relationships , anxious exhibiting fear of abandonment , or avoidant preferring to retain their independence from others.

People who identify with anxious and avoidant attachment styles are more likely to display characteristics that interfere with a healthy romantic relationship think clinginess and dismissiveness. Moreover, they're more likely to cheat, as they seek out reassurance from a third-party partner or attempt to avoid the intimacy of the primary relationship. While midlife crises generally affect people between the ages of 35 and 60, the event has less to do with age than extenuating circumstances.

Major life events, such as the death of a parent or a milestone birthday, may trigger a midlife crisis in a woman, causing them to wrestle with the burden of greatness; that is, the sociocultural expectation that women can and should "have it all"—a successful career, a loving partner, adoring children, and so on. What am I doing with my life?

A woman may act out of character as she attempts to realize her potential and make up for lost time. According to Block, depression and infidelity go hand in hand. In other words, a woman who cheats could be self-medicating through their infidelity, even if they don't realize the true reason behind their pleasure. Few acts of infidelity are premeditated, asserts Skurtu, but rather a result of an unexpected opportunity. They start commiserating and then it moves on from there," she adds.

People in this situation usually can't explain the reason behind their infidelity. Similar opportunities exist in the digital realm, too. Social media , dating apps, and texting have revolutionized the ease at which we can connect with others, sometimes serving as a springboard for affairs —even if the interactions start innocently.

People can develop a wide variety of coping mechanisms to deal with difficult emotions , sometimes choosing strategies that have emotionally numbing effects as an easier option than facing them. Sex, drugs, alcohol, and other addictions or compulsive behaviors are just a few examples. Infidelity in heterosexual couples: demographic, interpersonal, and personality-related predictors of extradyadic sex.

Arch Sex Behav. Institute for Family Studies. Who Cheats More? The Demographics of Infidelity in America. Updated Jan. Updated July 1, Temas Psicol. Middle-aged women missing passion and sex seek affairs, not divorce.

Updated Aug. Psychology Today. Updated Nov. Altgelt, E. Who is Sexually Faithful? Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.

Mark, K. Archives of Sexual Behavior. Park, Y. Current Psychology. Selterman, W. Motivations for Extradyadic Infidelity Revisited. The Journal of Sex Research.

Weiser, A. Family Background and Propensity to Engage in Infidelity. Journal of Family Issues. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellMind. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification.

I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. Motivations Differ by Sex. Causes and Risks.

Primary Reasons. Secondary Reasons. Coping With Cheating. Overcoming Infidelity. Verywell Mind's Online Therapy Awards, presenting the best providers across 20 important categories.

Can Your Marriage Survive Infidelity? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! It's not going to get better. Cheating is, in all honesty, not that uncommon. If it happens in your relationship, that doesn't mean it has to be the end of the road for the two of you.

Nelson and Paul both say recovering from cheating is possible—and can be well worth it in creating a stronger relationship than you had before. If you're both on board, with time, you can start rebuilding trust so you're stronger than ever.

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Explore Classes. Expert review by Kristie Overstreet, Ph. Kristie Overstreet, Ph. She is a licensed counselor in California, Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana. She is also a certified sex therapist, certified addiction professional, and president of the Therapy Department, a private practice in Orange County that provides counseling services throughout the United States.

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