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Why Do Men Cheat?

Marital cheating destroys trust.

Cheating can take many different forms.

In particular, when men go through a midlife crisis, infidelity may occur, and husbands can destroy their marriages. Despite the best efforts of spouses to work toward saving a marriage after infidelity, it may be impossible to return to the type of relationship you had before the cheating.

While women cheat in marriages, too, there are often common reasons associated with why men cheat in South Carolina.

Our South Carolina divorce lawyers can help you gain a better understanding of what types of actions can constitute infidelity.

Types of Cheating or Infidelity

Before we discuss some of the reasons for infidelity, especially during a midlife crisis, it is important to understand that there are different types of cheating. Not all infidelity involves keeping a girlfriend on the side, or having a one-night stand with a person your spouse met through a dating app. According to an article in Survive Divorce, the following are some of the most common types of affairs, and you might be surprised to learn about some of them:

  • Emotional affairs: These do not involve any kind of physical cheating or sexual intimacy, and they may involve another person who began as a friend or coworker of your spouse. Emotional affairs can lead to many hours spent in intimate phone conversations, text and email exchanges, and even face-to-face contact, all without involving sex. In some cases, emotional affairs can be more hurtful given that they may involve your spouse sharing intimate and private information with another person that should be reserved for your marriage.
  • Romantic affairs: These are the kinds of affairs that many people immediately think about when they hear the word infidelity. A spouse gets involved in a romantic relationship with another person that involves emotional and sexual intimacy. In many circumstances, one or both parties involved in the affair becomes attached.
  • One-night stands: One-night stands do not involve emotional intimacy at all, but rather infidelity that involves sex with another party.
  • Sex addiction affairs: Sometimes a spouse in a relationship will have a sex addiction, and may engage in multiple one-night stands with parties outside the marriage.
  • Cyber relationships: Cyber relationships are, in some ways, another form of an emotional affair. Although they may not involve physical intimacy or sex, they can involve sexting and other sexual acts involving the other person over the internet or electronic communications.

Reasons Men Have Affairs

Why do men engage in any of these types of affairs? Many men blame affairs on midlife crises, but a midlife crisis is really just an excuse, according to an article in Psychology Today. Rather, as that article explains, the reasons for infidelity tend to be one or more of the following:

  • Immaturity;
  • Insecurity, especially during a midlife crisis;
  • Addiction issues, including sex addiction;
  • Desire to end the marriage, sometimes as a result of issues that arise during a midlife crisis;
  • Impulse control;
  • Unrealistic expectations for the marriage;
  • Selfishness; and
  • Anger or revenge.

Given that men often cheat because they are going through an emotional change or grappling with life changes, it can be difficult to save the marriage.

Contact a Divorce Lawyer in South Carolina

If your spouse is going through a midlife crisis and has cheated, or if you have more general questions about filing for divorce, one of our South Carolina divorce lawyers is here to help. Contact The Peck Law Firm today.

Recommendations For Additional Reading


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9 Questions To Ask Before Getting Divorced

Saving Your Marriage

Charleston Christian Divorces