Signs of Cheating

 

There are a couple of articles that I'd like to review today.

Articles

The first is from LAD Bible, which purports to list five signs that a dating partner is cheating, as identified by private investigators. Here are the signs that they listed:

1. Lying
2. Being Excessively Defensive
3. Gaslighting
4. Turning the Tables
5. A History of Cheating

WebMD lists 10 signs that a partner is cheating, all for the same price as 5! They are:

1. Protectiveness with Electronic Devices
2. Periods of Unreachability
3. Different Levels of Sexual Interaction
4. Inconsistent Explanations
5. Altered Schedule
6. Uncomfortable Friends
7. Inconsistent Expenses
8. False Accusations of Cheating
9. Hypercriticism
10. You Think That They Are Cheating But Don't Know Why

Discussion

All of these are, to a greater or lessor degree, good indicators that your partner is cheating. And, in general, the more of these that are present the more likely it is that your partner is being unfaithful. But I think that I can narrow down the list to a few main ones that are the best indicators:

1. Your Gut Feeling - you know better than anyone else that something is off, even if you can't articulate it.
2. A History of Cheating - as they say, a leopard doesn't change its stripes!
3. Overprotectiveness of Electronic Devices - everyone like their privacy, but when it's over the top, they might be hiding something important.
4. Different Levels of Sexual Interation - it's not an amount that is important. It's the change that makes the difference. Going from being a hound dog to not interested is a red flag. And going from infrequent to constant sex is also.
5. False Accusations of Cheating - many times they see things that aren't there, because they are doing bad stuff themselves. It's not 100%, but it's not 50% either. It's a definite sign.

Takeaways

As always, the truth can hurt. But the truth is its own good. Only when you have all (or most) of the relevant facts can you make a real decision. Cheating doesn't always mean breaking up or a divorce (but see my #2 above). Sometimes it means putting in real work to make the relationship better. In any event, knowing is the best way to move forward.

We can help. If you suspect that your partner is cheating, we'll get you the facts. You decide what to do from there.

 

This article originally appeared on LinkedIn.