Wellness coach Shula Melamed agrees. She says a lack of love might mean feeling underappreciated, ignored, or like there’s no fun in the relationship. Instead of cheating, a better fix is to work on the relationship and talk to your partner. “Love is active. It needs nurturing, not taking for granted,” she says.
So, lack of love tops the list. But what else? Here are seven other biggies from the study.
“I wanted more sexual partners” was the second-biggest reason. Licensed therapist Racine R. Henry, Ph.D., notes, “It’s seldom about one partner’s flaws. Often, the cheater feels neglected, bored, or untouchable.” So if you’ve been cheated on, don’t blame yourself.
When a partner feels unloved and unappreciated, cheating can seem like a way to get attention. The study found 70% cheated due to feeling neglected. As Dr. Caroline Madden, a marriage and family therapist, puts it, “A lack in feeling loved and appreciated often leads to cheating.”