Life
Although you always want to be secure in your relationships — be they romantic, platonic friendships, family relationships, or working relationships — many people become insecure at one point or another. And, for some, it's with good reason. Sometimes you may start to have doubts or suspicions, especially if you think you're seeing signs that back up those suspicions. The problem is, there are plenty of things that you think are signs of cheating but aren't. And accusing someone of cheating, especially when those claims are unfounded, can put a lot of strain on a relationship.
Luckily, according to PsychCentral, cheating isn't nearly as common as most people think. It can be easy to over-think yourself into a frenzy, convincing yourself that your partner's seemingly sketchy behavior points to an affair and your inevitable heartbreak. But the statistics say that the chances he or she is actually cheating on you is pretty low. In fact, according to that same PsychCentral article, there's only about a 25 percent chance that you might be cheated on at any point over the course of your entire relationship, with some risk factors making some relationships more susceptible to infidelity than others. Keep all of that, and the following misinterpreted signs of cheating, in mind next time you think of tailing your partner.
1
They Regularly Chat With Someone Else
According to Glamour, this is strictly casual communication. If your significant other keeps in regular contact with someone, you may think that's a sign that they're cheating (or going to cheat) on you, but that may not be the case. It really could be harmless — they may have just made a new friend.
2
They're Social Media "Friends" With Their Exes
If your partner is Facebook friends with their exes or follows all of them on Twitter or Instagram, you might start to suspect that there are things going on that are less than innocent. But according to YourTango, being friends with an ex on social media doesn't necessarily point to cheating.
3
They Don't Offer Up Daily Specifics
Just because your significant other doesn't go into great detail about each and every event of his or her day, doesn't mean it's because they're trying to hide an affair, according to Bolde. They just might not have felt anything eventful happened or they might often gloss over details in favor of generalities.
4
They Celebrate Or Commiserate With Someone Else
According to the previously mentioned article from Glamour, a partner who constantly turns to someone else for celebration or consolation isn't necessarily a sign of cheating. If you find out that it's a pattern and they're getting all of their emotional support elsewhere — and then not confiding in you — that could be cause for concern.
5
They Work Late
Although this is often seen as the classic cheating tell, a partner who stays late at the office isn't necessarily cheating, according to the aforementioned Bolde article. They could be working on a big project, going after a promotion, or any number of other not-cheating-on-you things that don't necessarily have anything directly to do with your relationship.
