These second adolescents are looking for separation and individuation, but want someone at home to make them feel secure." If someone's cheating, they may have an issue with empathy."Anyone who cheats has a piece of narcissism to their personality," says Walfish.You can explore the possibility of opening up your relationship, which is what some people do after affairs, Nelson says. "To some partners, the ones who have been cheated on, an open relationship can feel like consensual infidelity," she notes."If the cheating partner is really asking to continue their infidelity, but with permission, this is not really an 'open relationship.' It’s not an open relationship when you are only using it as an excuse to keep seeing your affair partner." Open relationships are also built upon trust and honesty — the very things that infidelity defies.
Here are just a few potential causes: People that cheat may simply like that it's off-limits.
"If you are in a relationship where your cheating partner claims they are not 'naturally monogamous' and they give you the 'we are not born to be with one person' speech, then it’s likely they are not ready, willing, or don’t have the capacity to mate with one person.
And they might be telling you the truth, they might not be cut out for monogamy," Nelson says.
"Many men may start to feel old and worry that life and adventure is behind them.
Because of that, they want a woman who will make them feel young and like they're at their prime again," Sherman says.