Infidelity is heartbreaking. It wreaks havoc in a relationship and brings it to an end. It’s a disturbing and difficult challenge, not just for someone’s current relationship but also for their future.
Infidelity is detrimental to mental health and well-being and carries with it a lot of short and long-term effects. The short-term effects include emotional turmoil resulting from anger and sadness. The long-term effects include trust and self-esteem issues, anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
Understanding how infidelity affects you, including the long-term psychological effects of infidelity, is the first step towards healing and moving forward. This article will explore the effects of infidelity on mental health, shedding light on the psychological effects and offering potential therapeutic interventions to support your healing.
Ready to take a step towards emotional healing from infidelity? Start below.
Understanding the emotional toll of infidelity
Infidelity creates problems even long after the cheating has stopped. It causes emotional scars on individuals and relationships. It causes a breach of trust, leading to challenges in forming and maintaining healthy connections.
The emotional aftermath of infidelity is not only immediate; it also lingers. This affects how one creates and maintains healthy relationships in the future.
It’s a big problem for those who are affected. But, with the proper knowledge, healing is possible. The following sections will uncover the psychological effects of infidelity. Understanding your emotions is the first step towards recovery.
The psychological impact of betrayal
Cheating results in a deep sense of betrayal, which induces several long-term psychological effects. These can result in several emotional consequences, including:
- Trust issues. Being cheated on makes it hard to trust anyone again. This is not only limited to future romantic relationships; individuals also start to question the honesty of their close friends and family. According to research, cheating shakes the foundation of trust. It makes you feel unsure about who to rely on in the future.
- Low self-esteem. Victims of infidelity are often left questioning their self-worth. They start questioning their looks, personality, or their past. In this case, it is important to understand that other people’s actions should not define your self-worth. The only person to blame is the one who cheated on you.
- Challenges in forming attachments. Since cheating creates the impression that people can not be fully trusted, individuals experience difficulty in forming romantic connections. They fear getting their hearts broken again, making them feel distant from forming attachments with other people.
Infidelity and mental health
Being in love releases oxytocin and dopamine in the brain. So, when a person is cheated on, it causes several changes in the brain pathways similar to withdrawal in substance use disorder. This causes both short and long-term problems, potentially leading to mental health issues.
The chronic stress from infidelity leads to mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. In severe cases, individuals also develop post-infidelity stress disorder. Post-infidelity stress disorder heightens a person’s sensitivity levels to specific triggers. This leads to hypervigilance, where a person feels constantly on guard.
These issues severely impact a person’s daily functioning. They affect existing relationships and hinder the formation of new ones.
Coping with the long-term psychological effects of infidelity is a challenge. This is because experiencing infidelity gives rise to several complex emotions, such as sadness and anger, which lead to individuals feeling unloved.
The good news is that humans are resilient. Sure, the path toward healing isn’t linear, but with the right steps, you can overcome the aftermath of infidelity.
Therapeutic interventions for healing
The pain caused by infidelity is huge and has devastating consequences. It’s okay to take your time and allow yourself to grieve. Grieving is a safe outlet and helps you get in touch with your emotions.
It’s important to remember that amidst the betrayed trust, you can find the strength to build your emotional well-being again.
So, how does a person recover from being cheated on? While everyone’s journey is unique, here are some ways to begin your process:
Read more: Mei Sze Goh: Navigating Grief — A Journey to Healing | Bouncing Back #58
Professional help
Therapy is an effective way to heal. Seeking professional help provides a safe and non-judgmental space to express your feelings. It also helps you through the healing process. It is an effective way to address your complex emotions, understand your reactions, and strengthen healthy coping mechanisms.
Of course, starting therapy can be overwhelming. And if you’re suffering from depression or post-infidelity stress disorder, you’ll also feel like staying inside the house. In this case, you can benefit from online therapy and speak with a licensed professional from the comfort of your home.
Here are some therapy options you can consider to overcome the aftermath of infidelity:
Individual therapy
In this type of therapy, a therapist will work with you to understand and identify your triggers. They will help you process the infidelity experience and learn how to manage your symptoms. Individual therapy is personalized to your needs.
Couple counseling
If you’re considering seeking professional help with your partner, then couple counseling can benefit you.
It provides a safe space for both partners to express their thoughts, feelings, and perspectives to each other. A couple counselor works with you and provides ways to rebuild lost trust and establish transparency in the relationship.
Of course, the type of therapy you’ll consider depends on your situation. Therapy helps you begin your journey towards emotional well-being.
Self-care
When you’re grieving, it is easy to lose sight of self-care. However, neglecting yourself during this time adds to your suffering and leads you into a downward spiral.
Read more: Healthy Habits for a Balanced Life: How to Prioritize Self-Care and Wellness
As difficult as it can be to take care of yourself, remember that only you can bring yourself up again. So, self-care is crucial during this time. Here are some self-care tips to keep your mental health balanced after experiencing infidelity.
- Work out regularly. As difficult as it can be to force yourself to keep moving, working out regularly helps you stay distracted and relieve stress. According to research, exercising improves mental health by reducing depression and anxiety and improving self-esteem. This can especially be beneficial post-infidelity.
- Eat well. You may be tempted to stop eating. Maybe even start drinking, smoking, or taking drugs to temporarily numb the pain. However, these self-sabotaging coping mechanisms worsen the problem for you. Instead, focus on having a healthy diet. Remember to take your meals. It’s important to remember that you can not help what your partner did, but you can always make the right choices later to keep yourself intact. According to research, a nutritious diet will not only help maintain your physical well-being but also aid in improving your mental health.
- Reconnect with your passions. Keeping yourself busy with things you enjoy helps put your mind at ease. Rediscover the activities that bring you joy and add them to your routine. Engage in hobbies and interests that will help you express yourself.
Read more: Dr. Fran Davis: Moving Forward — Strategies for Recovery and Growth After Infidelity | Reloscope #40
Communication and honesty
Open and honest communication about your feelings is a helpful tool post-infidelity. Honesty lays the foundation for reconnection and will help you and your partner express your needs, fears, and expectations.
Healing is not a linear process. It requires patience and realistic expectations. It’s important to understand that rebuilding trust takes time.
Acknowledging this helps you and your partner heal at your own pace and prevents additional frustration and disappointment. Always remember that healing, even slow, is a step towards recovery, so don’t lose hope.
Read more: Communication in Relationships and Their Impact on Mental Health
In conclusion
Infidelity leaves deep emotional scars, but it does not have to define your future. Although recovering from infidelity is challenging, it is not impossible. Remember that healing requires patience, self-compassion, and a commitment to rebuilding yourself again.
As difficult as it can be, acknowledging the profound impact infidelity has on mental health is the first step toward recovery. Focus on seeking support and taking care of yourself. Remember that you are resilient.
Take the first step today — whether it’s reaching out to a friend or a therapist, reconnecting with your passions, or simply being compassionate to yourself. You got this!
If you would like to see more resources on infidelity, check out the Relationships Science Labs. The lab uses the research of the Institute for Life Management Science to produce courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other tools. Visit the Relationships Science Labs today.
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