Cheating Has Become So Normalized In Society, But It Can Ruin People’s Mental Health…
5 Lasting Mental Health Effects Of Cheating
Cheating on your partner can be one of the most devastatingly painful things you could do in a relationship. You might have been everything to this person, even though it might not have meant anything to you.
Whether you did it for the thrill or your dissatisfaction lead you to cheat, you might not fully realize it, but your actions can completely crush a person’s sense of self-worth. Being cheated on can leave everlasting effects on your personality. It serves as a reminder that your presence and love was not sufficient for them, and that you lack the capability of keeping your partner loyal and satisfied. It can shatter your entire perception of happiness and love. It brings a sense of confusion, discomfort, anger and a lifetime of regrets.
Although people deal with this form of devastation in different ways, here are five unforeseen ways that being cheated on can affect your life.
1. Lack of self-esteem
The one who has been cheated on will suffer a crushing blow to his or her self esteem. Just as children blame themselves for their parents’ divorce, many victims of cheating respond to an affair by blaming themselves. But the decision to cheat was not yours, and even though there have been problems in the relationship, you did not make the decision to cheat. Chances are the affair had much more to do with a deficiency in your partner than in you.
2. Panic attacks and anxiety
Being a natural human response to feelings of threat, anxiety is commonly experienced while coping with stressful events that have big negative impacts on our lives (such as cheating). Anxiety impacts your mental health when it interferes with your daily life by inducing restlessness, panic attacks, and destabilizing worries that are out of proportion and hard to take under control.
3. Loss of trust in the cheating partner and future partners alike
The victim of cheating will find it difficult to trust as he or she may doubt their ability to read and judge others efficiently. Even if the relationship comes to an end, and a new one begins, the baggage of betrayal can follow. It is crucial to deal with your trust issues, even if that means getting professional help. You and your future spouse will be grateful in the long run that you managed to deal with the negative consequences of the affair.
4. Eating disorders
Regardless of gender, weight or age, anyone can be affected by eating issues, such as munching a lot in secret, restricting the amount you eat or basing your self-worth on how much you weigh. Research has found that eating disorders can be linked to stressful events or traumas such as cheating, in which a person who lacks self-confidence or control can become intensely critical of themselves.
5. Heavy impacts on all areas of life
Being cheated on can cause something of a ripple effect in your life. You may begin looking differently at your friends, your job or your life choices. It is vitally important that you don’t rush on to make major changes to your life while in the midst of the emotional turmoil that accompanies an affair.
The effects of an affair can be devastating and take a long period of time to get over. It is most important that you address these effects and find ways to work through them efficiently. Build a support network of friends and family, professional counselors, your church, or anyone else you can put your trust in to help you overcome the devastating effects of cheating and gradually move on to a healthier future.
Can you suggest any good recovery tips for victims of cheating? Let us know in the comment section below.
