Infidelity is often cited as a cause for divorce — but an affair rarely starts out of nowhere. The odds are good that the spouse having the affair has been unhappy in the marriage for a long time.
If you’re suspicious that your spouse is unhappy, watch for these signals that your spouse is about to stray. If you can spot them early enough, you may have an opportunity to fix the issues so infidelity won’t occur. If an affair has already started, ending that relationship and addressing these problems might save the marriage.
- Bypassing physical affection: Part of marriage is intimacy. There is a chance that people in an unaffectionate marriage might turn to others for the attention they are seeking.
- Thinking you are always right: Marriage requires compromise. When one person feels that they are always right, there is little chance to compromise. This might push the other person away.
- Criticizing in public: Spouses shouldn’t ever criticize each other in public. Criticism in front of others is a significant sign of disrespect, and it could cause the marriage to end.
- Keeping secrets: Communication in a marriage should be open. When there are secrets, it means that communication and trust are lacking. This can lead to the union failing.
If you are heading for divorce because of an affair, make sure you protect your interests. Besides focusing on the property division, financial obligations and child custody, you might need to seek mental health counseling to help you work through the emotions you feel as a result of the situation.
