In recent studies, 35 percent of people admitted to cheating on their partner. Rebuilding a relationship after an affair can be difficult, and in come cases, impossible. Most marriage counselors agree that a better investment is working towards preventing unfaithfulness. These five tips can help you maintain a healthy relationship and prevent infidelity.
Be Kind and Attentive
The majority of people who have cheated say the main reason they did so was because they felt unappreciated and neglected. Something as simple as a sincere compliment or a thoughtful gesture can go a long way towards making your partner feel loved and respected.
Touch Each Other
According to Trina Reed, the author of Till Sex Do Us Part: Make Your Married Sex Irresistible, regularly touching loved ones can raise the level of oxytocin, a hormone which has been associated with the ability to maintain healthy interpersonal relationships. Give your partner little kisses on the cheek or lightly brush your hand across his or her arm when you pass each other.
Make Time to Talk
Keeping the lines of communication open can cement the bond between you and your partner. Making time to have regular conversations about managing your home, parenting or the status of your relationship can help resolve conflicts and prevent resentment from pulling the two of you apart.
Give Each Other Space
Having a support system, separate hobbies and interests and your own group of friends outside a relationship can actually discourage unfaithfulness. Studies have shown that when people are too dependent, they expect more than one person is able to give and argue more frequently.
Reinvent Your Sex Life
The second most common cause of unfaithfulness is because one person's sexual needs are not being met. Maintaining physical closeness requires an open dialogue and creativity. Talk to your partner about his or her likes and dislikes and be willing to try new things in the bedroom.
Affairs rarely "just happen" and are usually the result of a culmination of events. Taking steps to help prevent cheating can strengthen your connection and promote a healthy, loving relationship.
For additional information on unfaithfulness read Five Surprising Reasons Men Cheat and Six Signs Your Partner May Be Unfaithful.
Sources:
- C.V. Connor, How To Prevent Your Partner From Cheating, Authentic Books, March 2010.
- C.J. Walker, Is He Cheating? Is She Cheating?, CreateSpace, December 2009.
- Trina E. Read, Till Sex Do Us Part: Make Your Married Sex Irresistible, Key Porter Books, December 2008.
- M. Gary Neuman, The Truth About Cheating: Why Men Stray and What You Can Do To Prevent It, Wiley, August 2008.
- M. Gary Neuan, Emotional Infidelity: How to Affair-Proof Your Marriage and 10 Other Secrets to a Great Relationship, Three Rivers Press, September 2002.
Danielle McGinnis - Danielle McGinnis is the mother of a college freshman and full-time freelance writer.
