Are you suspecting you are dealing with a cheating partner? Was everything great before and suddenly things started to change? Are you suspicious that your partner is secretly having an affair? Well, all your suspicions may just be valid.
A committed relationship has well-defined characteristics that make the bond work. These features include trust, honesty, love, and care. If you feel that your relationship has started losing some of these values, the relationship may jump into hot waters.
A cheating partner who is trying to keep his infidelity a secret is often not very good at hiding. They display obvious signs from early on that are easily recognizable. A study published in the Frontiers in Psychology found that people who cheat are often prone to acting in ways that signal their infidelity.
In this ListPink post, we will be looking for those traces your partner is leaving behind thinking they are undetectable.
Important: Please note that all the below-listed signs are not hardwired to cheating alone, there can be other reasons for these deviated behavioral patterns your partner is displaying.
Signs of a Cheating Partner
Look for these 14 signs that a partner in infidelity usually displays as their new affair progresses.
1. Can’t Stop Talking About Someone
If your spouse is always talking about someone else, it could be a sign that he or she is having an affair. If your partner is constantly bragging about how smart, beautiful, or wonderful someone else is, ask yourself why your spouse is spending so much time thinking about this particular person.
While they may be openly appreciating that particular person in the beginning, as he or she is involved more in their secret relationship, they may completely stop talking about the person.
2. Cancels Plans on Short Notice
If your partner has started canceling plans on short notice more frequently than they used to, maybe it’s because they don’t want you to know that they’re spending time with someone new or they don’t want you to see them.
3. Starts Needing “Space”
If your partner has started needing “space” or pulling back from time together, they could be trying to create the distance they need. When you’re feeling like you’re not getting enough attention, it’s high time to look into why.
If they’re pulling away and you’re not getting any clear answers as to why it’s worth considering that your partner is either having an affair or is open to the idea of one.
4. More Secretive About their Phone
While everyone needs a level of privacy in life, your partner shouldn’t have any problem leaving you with their phone.
If your partner has started becoming more secretive about their phone, constantly keeps an eye on it, feels restless when you use their phone, this may be a sign of infidelity.
5. Puts More Effort in Their Appearance
If your partner suddenly starts dressing differently, getting more exercise, or taking better care of himself in general, that could be a sign that there’s someone new or that he wants to impress someone new, or that he wants to look good for someone new.
6. They’re Suddenly More Attentive Than Usual
If your partner is suddenly taking your calls, responding to your texts, or otherwise acting more available than usual, that could be a sign of infidelity. If their sudden attention feels a little too good to be true, that’s because it probably is.
One of the biggest challenges of an affair is that the “bad” partner often puts a lot of time, effort, and energy into making their partner feel special and loved. This is a way of making their partner feel a false sense of security and a way of making themselves feel better about their own choices.
7. Doesn’t Show Interest in Talking Your Future Together
In a healthy relationship, partners talk about their combined future with interest. They make plans for the coming days. These discussions usually include topics involving children, finance, health, and leisure.
If you’re feeling like you’re not part of your spouse’s future plans, it could be because he or she has something else planned. He or she may be planning to be with someone else. Of course, you can’t always know for sure what is on their mind but if you feel like there’s something off, you might want to look deeper.
Related: Do You Always Attract Wrong Partners? The Science and The Solution
8. Becomes Super Secretive
If you notice that your partner is suddenly secretive about their day, who they’re talking to, or where they’re going, it could be a sign they’re cheating.
There’s a big difference between feeling like you’re spending time together and feeling like you’re completely in the dark about your partner’s activities.
9. They’re More Short-tempered
Basically, if you notice a general increase in short-temperedness over a period of a few weeks, it could be a sign of a relationship going bad.
Often, a person who is cheating starts to pull away from their partner emotionally, and this can often manifest as increased short-temperedness or a general lack of compassion for the other person.
10. They’re Less Attentive to You
It may seem obvious, but if you notice that your partner is spending less time with you, they could be spending that time with someone else.
While it can be tempting to immediately jump to the conclusion that your partner is cheating when they’re just busy.
If you’ve noticed that your partner is less attentive than usual, it’s worth asking them what’s going on. They may have some legitimate excuse, like work or school. Or they may be spending time with someone else.
11. Inconsistent in Their Statements
If you suspect that your partner is cheating on you, perhaps you’ve noticed them being a little off, but you aren’t sure if there’s a real problem. This can be a classic sign of infidelity. People who cheat on their partners may exhibit a change in their normal behavior, but they try to minimize their actions by making inconsistent statements.
For example, a man tells you that he’s going to a business meeting after work, but then a few minutes later, he tells you that a friend is picking him up. If he’s telling you a half-truth, then he’s probably lying about the rest too.
12. Their Car Starts Revealing Signs
It’s no secret that spouses are not the best at hiding their affairs, especially when comes to the car.
Sometimes, the telltale signs are in the form of items like lipstick on the collar or perfume on the clothes that are hard to explain. Sometimes, the signs are more obvious.
For instance, if your partner’s car starts smelling perfume, or is littered with cigarette butts, gum wrappers, and other detritus, it could be a sign that your spouse has company in the car.
13. They Respond Aggressively to Cheating Questions
If your partner clams up, gets defensive, or becomes angry when you ask a simple question like, “So, how is work going?” or “What’s up with this new person you’re spending so much time with?” that’s a potential red flag.
If you feel like there’s an elephant in the room that your partner just isn’t addressing, that your partner is leaving out details that are important to you, or that your partner is becoming angry with you for no apparent reason, it’s also worth considering the possibility that they might be having an affair.
14. Changed Their Circle of Friends
A big sign of a partner in another affair is if they are spending more time with their friends than before. This could mean they are spending more time at the bar with the guys or that they are getting closer to their work buddies.
A healthy relationship doesn’t mean that your partner can’t have friends of the opposite sex. It is normal to have opposite-sex friends. However, if you’re noticing that your partner is spending more time with their friends than you, it could be because they are getting close to someone else.
So, what do you think is going on with your partner? We highly recommend you stay composed, vigilant, and be logical in your judgments. If you think a lot of damage has already been done, you may want to look for these 13 signs to know if it’s the right time to end your marriage. Wish you a happy relationship!