Long Distance Relationship Cheating, Challenges, and Moving Forward
Long-distance relationships are challenging affairs.
Sometimes it can’t be helped. Real-life situations such as work deployment, University studies, and online relationships can split a couple apart or have it begin that way.
It’s not an ideal scenario, but then again, love is stupid and crazy that way.
Luckily, modern technology bridges the communication gap that makes it easier for couples to keep in touch regardless of the distance.
But that doesn’t mean that infidelity won’t happen. Couples in long-distance relationships are more likely to worry that their partner is cheating on them.
Questions such as how to know if your boyfriend is cheating on you in a long-distance relationship are frequent topics among people involved in such a thing.
Long-distance relationship and cheating
Even long-term or married couples start to have anxiety over their relationship if their partner is away for extended periods of time.
It’s a valid concern, not being able to check for the proverbial lipstick on the collar leaves a lot to the imagination, and it can quickly turn into negative fear and paranoia.
Signs he is cheating in a long-distance relationship become blurred, and trust eventually breaks down.
Regardless of the foundations in a relationship, trust is harder to establish when communication and physical contact is few and far between.
Long-distance relationship cheating signs can be as subtle as changes in the number of times their partner shows affection or a clear indication of disinterest, such as the gradual increase in “busy” schedules.
The lack of accessibility to physical intimacy is the most common cause of long-distance relationship cheating.
Individuals have needs, and loving couples are more than willing to fulfill those needs in non-long distance relationships.
On the other hand, if the relationship is hindered by physical distance, even if they are willing to have sex, it’s just not possible.
Technology can help, but there are times when it only increases the desire instead of satiate it.
Long-distance relationship cheating signs
Cheating in a long-distance relationship breaks down trust.
Just like any other case of infidelity. The problem with long-distance relationships, because the anxiety is higher, assurances are given more often, which makes the betrayal more hurtful.
Here are some signs your long-distance boyfriend is cheating on you.
- They find less and less time to communicate
- Their “technical problems.” such as low-battery, no signal, or no internet connection increase.
- There are fewer posts in social media
- They sleep or work overtime more often
- Conversations are shorter and become more generalized
- No details are given regarding their daily lives
If you are experiencing a majority of the red flags mentioned above, then it’s time to think about how do you know when your man is cheating for sure.
There are cases when such symptoms are just paranoia, and it wouldn’t be fair to your husband/boyfriend to judge them based on just signs.
The first thing you need to figure out is what to do if your boyfriend cheats on you for real.
Are you willing to forgive them because of your challenging situation? Do you want to confront them and tell them to stop? Do you plan to cheat yourself? Or end the relationship and start anew?
Long-distance relationship cheating is still infidelity. That is especially true if you are a married couple. Regardless of the challenges and limitations of your current situation, it is not an excuse to cheat.
But then again, it’s called cheating because it’s about someone trying to have his cake and eat it too.
If we live in a society where polygamy is socially and universally accepted, then there wouldn’t be any issues. But we don’t, so people get around the norm and cheat.
Instinct and gut feeling may turn out to be true, however without evidence, you are just feeding into your own fears and paranoia.
Try to communicate, make sure you tell your partner the consequences of lying.
Before you open up such a sensitive topic based on the signs you think that’s there, be ready to have an answer on what to do if your boyfriend cheats on you.
If you do find out your partner is cheating, you have three choices.
- Walk away
- Live with it
- Tell him to stop and make amends
If you are not willing to do any of the three options, then don’t even bother overthinking the signs.
Infidelity, including long-distance cheating, never ends well. So if you do find signs your long-distance boyfriend is cheating, it could signal the beginning of the end of your relationship.
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Long-distance relationship cheating and moving forward
If you confirm that your boyfriend is cheating while he is far away, it’s time to sit back and reassess the relationship.
If it’s a relationship that started online, you may want to think about who is the real partner. Your boyfriend may be cheating, but you are the third party.
If you have been in a long term relationship before you or your partner moved away, then you really should think about your relationship.
The more invested you are in a relationship, the more you should think about resolving the issue.
If you and your boyfriend are not together because of College, you spent high school together and gave your virginity on prom night, then it’s a good idea to spread your wings. You are still young, and there’s plenty of fish in the sea.
If you have been married for a couple of years with young children, then you may need to consider priorities.
Your husband gallivanting when he is away is unfortunate.
Still, if the money he sends is absolutely necessary for your children’s welfare, you may have to swallow your pride and forgive him.
That’s the best cheating in a piece of long-distance relationship advice we offer, choosing a jerk to father your children is not the best option to choose, but your children don’t have to suffer for it.
That is especially true if the jerk is still a good father in-spite of being a loser of a husband. Nothing good will come from long-distance relationship cheating.
So don’t go dreaming about idea scenarios of what-ifs. It’s a waste of time and will just degenerate into finger-pointing and blame calling. It will only increase the pain and hatred for each other, leading to a messy break-up.
So try to open up communication lines and fix your relationship. See if your partner is willing to make amends and move forward. If not, walk away with dignity and rebuild your life.
Want to have a happier, healthier marriage?
If you feel disconnected or frustrated about the state of your marriage but want to avoid separation and/or divorce, the marriage.com course meant for married couples is an excellent resource to help you overcome the most challenging aspects of being married.
Rachael Pace is a noted relationship writer associated with Marriage.com. She provides inspiration, support, and empowerment in the form of motivational articles and essays. Rachael enjoys studying the evolution of loving partnerships and is passionate about writing on them. She believes that everyone should make room for love in their lives and encourages couples to work on overcoming their challenges together.
