Why do men cheat?

Are all men cheaters? While we can’t generalise, it’s important to know why men cheat.

Cheating happens when one partner breaks the trust of the other by violating the promise of emotional and sexual monogamy.

Research has shown that men cheat more than women. When a man cheats, their partner often wonders why they did it. The Institute for Family Studies reports that 20% of men and 13% of women have engaged in sex with someone other than their spouse during their marriage, as per the recent General Social Survey.

Here’s why men cheat

1. Men cheat because they seek attention

Men often engage in affairs due to a desire for more attention and affection. They seek someone who listens, stops, and compliments them, making them feel good. This can lead to emotional affairs, which may then turn physical.

Dana Julian, a sex therapist, believes that emotional cheating on a partner is a form of cheating, as it is a form of exploitation. In conclusion, men seek love and attention in relationships, and emotional affairs can be a result of this.

2. Men repress their sexual feelings towards their partners

Shame has an important role in men’s sexual desires. Many men who have cheated feel deeply ashamed about their sexual impulses, whether homosexual or heterosexual.

They are deeply committed to their relationships but fear rejection for their desires; perhaps they feel it’s too wild or kinky. Because of their fear of shame, many men maintain a safe, secure, and loving relationship at home while also engaging in an exciting, freeing sexual connection elsewhere.

Openly negotiating sexual needs benefits everyone involved and won’t allow the man to deceive or break his woman’s trust.

ALSO READ: 7 signs you are with a chronic cheater who will never stop their infidelity

3. Men sometimes have an intimacy disorder

Men cheating can be due to deep psychological issues like intimacy disorders, which might make them feel satisfied by being in multiple sexual relationships with women.

They may not know how to ask for intimacy, or if they do, they may fail to build a true bond. This causes them to seek a cheap substitute to satisfy their needs and desires for intimacy, as they may be unsure how to ask for it in a way that resonates with the woman.

4. Men cheat when they are made to feel inadequate

Men frequently cheat because they feel inadequate, either financially or physically. Perhaps their partners make them feel like they lack certain things. They desire someone who prioritises them, filling the vacuum left by their partner. Danielle Adinolfi, a sex therapist, stresses the dangers of seeking admiration outside of a partnership.

5. Men cheat because they want to.

Lawanda N. Evans, a counsellor, said that nothing “makes” men cheat on their partners; men cheat because they want to.

Cheating is a decision. He will choose to do it or not. She also said there is no justifiable reason why men cheat.