For the record, once a cheater, not always a cheater — and that's probably just one of the many myths about infidelity you've heard.
Because anyone and everyone has the potential to have an affair, there's a lot of information on the subject that isn't exactly concrete, like why someone is unfaithful in the first place.
"Boredom, sexual desire, emotional desire, loving their partner but the relationship is dead, excitement of newness," mental health counselor, Dr. Danielle Forshee, LLC told INSIDER. "The reason for cheating is very different for everyone, and depends on the individual's personality, history, ability to manage emotional distress, conflict and communicate emotions."
Most people just assume cheating is about one thing and one thing only: sex. Clearly, that's not the case, and if we've got that wrong, what other so-called "facts" about cheating are actually false? Here are nine myths about cheating debunked.
MYTH: Men cheat more often than women no matter the demographic.
Statistics in the past showed men were more likely to cheat than women, but apparently that's not necessarily the case these days. People of all gender identities cheat.
"According to recent research by the Institute for Family Studies, men are still, in general, slightly more likely to cheat than women,"Amica Graber, relationship expert for TruthFinder, told INSIDER. "But it's interesting to note that infidelity amongst women has been growing at a rapid pace since the sexual revolution. Among married adults aged 18 - 29, women are actually more likely to cheat than men."
MYTH: Cheaters aren't ever still in love with their significant other.
Being in love with someone is different from loving someone, so here's where you'll sometimes catch cheaters on a technicality.
However Clarissa Silva, a behavioral scientist, relationship coach, and the creator of Your Happiness Hypothesis Method said the idea that all cheaters are void of emotion for their partner is a fallacy at best.
"Only 28% of divorces in the US occur as a result of cheating," Silva told INSIDER. "The key driver for most cheaters is the ability to not get caught. They aren't interested in leaving their current set up, they just crave the adrenalin rush that sneaking around gives them."
MYTH: Cheating is only physical.
Cheating is subjective, and everyone has their own idea of what it means to be unfaithful. So while you might associate cheating with sex, your partner might define infidelity as developing an intimate bond with someone.
"A recent study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found that men tended to believe that sex alone could be defined as cheating, whereas women also perceived cheating to include flirting, dancing, and emotional engagement," Graber said. "Another study found that women felt more betrayed by their partners forming emotional connections with a third-person, whereas men felt more betrayed if the relationship was sexual in nature."
It's important for you and your significant other to be open with one another from the get-go and discuss where you both draw the line. Because while one person might be thinking in terms of physical intimacy, emotional infidelity can be problematic, too.
Anita A. Chlipala, LMFT defines emotional infidelity, or "micro-cheating" as "an emotional connection, and sexual chemistry that isn't acted upon."
"The term 'micro-cheating' has become popular in the last couple of years where seemingly innocent behaviors could be considered cheating," Chlipala told INSIDER. "Each couple has to define cheating and their expectations around what behaviors are acceptable and which are not."
See the rest of the story at Business Insider