Now, this is a topic that’s not only serious but also unpleasant, which is all the more reason to talk about it: What are the signs of infidelity?

This is a difficult topic to discuss simply because there’s such a wide variety of possible signs of infidelity, and distinguishing them can often be virtually impossible. Many of these signs are even opposite to one another, as a result of how different we all are – we react to things in different ways. There are also many reasons for infidelity. Some people do it out of boredom, others out of new found love, and still others do it out of frustration because their love for their partner has died.

Please remember that none of these signs are conclusive on their own. A person can display any or all of them and not be cheating on you. Additionally, they can be displaying none of these signs and still be cheating. In fact, that happens very often – most cases of infidelity remain undetected. The best way to be certain is to maintain a healthy relationship with your partner and put a premium on communicating well with one another.  Still, if the situation were to arise, what should we be looking for?

Here are 10 signs that may indicate your partner is being unfaithful.

1. Your partner has become more emotionally distant. This can indicate that their affection for you has diminished to the point where they don’t care for you anymore. In this situation, it's possible that they’ve found someone else to form that emotional bond with.


2. Your partner has become more affectionate. As I said, some people display opposite signs. When the adultery has happened out of passion and not love, your partner may feel guilty and try to make it up to you, even though you don’t know about the infidelity yet. Of course, this doesn't mean you should freak out every time they are being nice to you. However, if excessive affection is paired with a few of these other signs, it may be time to start worrying.


3. Your partner has become more easily irritated. They have become more critical of small things, sometimes even to the point of being cruel. The reason for this is that they are trying to justify their behavior by creating conflict and shifting the blame to you, as though you're “giving them a reason" to act the way they do.


4. Your partner has become more controlling. The explanation for this behavior is that your partner may be feeling suffocated by your relationship. Feeling trapped, they have sought escape elsewhere. As a result, they react strongly and negatively to any indication of control on your end. Any action they perceive as being controlling will make them push back against you.


5. Your partner has frequent excuses for being absent. This is often the most obvious sign. Your partner may suddenly start working late, taking evening calls, going to more meetings more often, or any other act that will require them to be physically absent. This could be an indication that your partner is making and executing plans to meet with other people with relative secrecy.


6. Your partner has started paying special attention to their physical appearance. This is another obvious one. Your partner may start taking extra and unusual care of themselves. This includes buying new clothes, losing weight, styling their hair differently, applying makeup, or any other attempt to increase their physical attractiveness. This could be an indication that your partner has already found another mate they are trying to impress, or it could mean that your partner is entertaining the idea of attracting someone new.


7. Your partner has developed a new “thirst for life.” They are more energetic and seem to find more enjoyment in the small things. This can be attributed to newfound passion and can even take the form of an improvement in your sex life – they are enjoying sex with you a lot more now because the passion they've developed elsewhere bleeds over into your own relationship.


8. Your partner has become more defensive. When someone’s feeling guilty for something, it’s a common reaction to feel criticized and attacked by everyone and everything. As a result, your partner may become overly sensitive to seemingly innocuous comments or actions. Even an innocent joke can send them into a tailspin.


9. Your partner has become more flirtatious. Flirting in itself is quite far from infidelity, and many modern couples don’t view it as a problem . Still, if it’s something unusual for your partner, it can indicate a desire to search for outside companionship.


10. Your partner has become more private. They have something to hide, simple as that. If your partner has started sheltering calls, texts, and emails, it's possible they are participating in activities they'd rather you didn't know about. The same can be said if your partner is avoidant when you ask about their day. If they're taking part in adulterous behaviors, they will try to deflect any conversation that would put them at risk of being caught.

These are all the major signs to look out for. Again, try not to jump to conclusions when you notice similar behaviors. It's often possible for most of these signs to appear for non-infidelity reasons, such as depression, stress, or simple loss of love.

The best advice here is to be open and honest with your partner about your individual needs, always communicating freely about how to meet those needs.

Good luck!