SIGNS OF INFIDELITY
1. Number one on the signs of infidelity list is when a spouse becomes emotionally distant, withdrawn or depressed. Most of those who had been cheated on reported this behavior. "He became self-absorbed," one woman told us, "living as if he was single with his own agenda and plans. He became more and more disinterested in me, our family, our friends and our daily needs." Another explained, "His attitude towards me changed gradually, from being an average attentive husband to nearly ignoring me completely towards the end." One man reported, "She showed no interest in improving our marriage. When I tried to show her affection she would not let me, especially not in public. Since the other man traveled in our circle of friends, I later realized she did not want the other man to see her being warm towards me."
2. The second most prominently reported of the signs of infidelity was the fact that the unfaithful spouse became angry, critical and even at times cruel. 70% of those surveyed reported this sign often coupled with emotional and verbal abuse, constant put downs and little to no patience. One woman reported, "At the worst point he was more than disrespectful. He was just plain rude, impatient, angry and aggressive. He was constantly picking fights and refused to help out in the home or with our children. Others reported; "She always seemed somewhat angry at me, like I was to blame for something that was happening." "He showed a low tolerance for our children's behavior. He would snap and snarl at everyone!" "He kept picking apart things I did, like the kind of books I read and the food I prepared." Is your spouse often complaining of trivial things? Do you sense unhappiness in your spouse, but you can't explain it or understand it? (And do they refuse to acknowledge it or talk about it when asked?) Do you feel like you can't do anything right? Do you feel like you keep giving and they keep taking yet they are still unhappy? Yes's to these questions are among the signs of infidelity.
3. Third on the list of the signs of infidelity is the issue of control voiced by those who are cheating. Often they complain that their spouses are "controlling", yet they themselves are guilty of attempting to control. One betrayed spouse reported of their straying partner, "She insisted that I give her more space, that I stop smothering her, and give her room to breathe. Another said their unfaithful spouse began to express a "my way or the highway" type of attitude. Dr. James Dobson in his book 'Love Must be Tough', reports that often preceding a spouses affair is a feeling of being 'trapped' in the relationship. Does your spouse complain about being controlled or that they are being watched, even if you ask very little of what they are doing? Or do you feel pressured to do such and such? If you find that 'control' is an ongoing issue in your discussions with your mate your relationship could be at risk.
Becoming inappropriately defensive when asked questions, was number eight on our list of the signs of infidelity.
An obsessive need for 'private ness' and staying up late at night to work on the computer. When confronted with his excessive late night hours in front of the monitor, one cheater responded "it's none of your business. I'm entitled to my privacy." This is a typical response of an unfaithful spouse. Unfortunately the internet has opened up a whole new way to infidelity. When your spouse suddenly needs a private email or bank account (which they become highly defensive about maintaining) there is a good chance that they are hiding something, and that something is probably marital infidelity. Hiding credit card statements and phone bills are also among the signs of infidelity.
Other signs of infidelity included noticing something different in your sex life (better, worse or just different), not always wearing their wedding ring (which they give amazingly believable reasons for),unaccounted for time and being caught lying (which they will explain away with various other reasons). Some people who participated reported noticing strange looks from their spouse, some reported that their spouse was uncomfortable discussing the issue of affairs, and some (definitely not all) reported an intuition that something was wrong. "I felt, call it intuition, that something was wrong but I could not put my finger on it. I would receive trickles of proof or red flags which in and of themselves did not totally make sense and coupled with my denial and my spouses manipulation of the truth it was, as I like to call it, crazy-making. I learned to pay attention to my spouse's behavior and not his words."