Revealing the Affair: Factors That You Must Consider

What are the things you should take into account before telling your partner about your infidelity?

There are plenty of people who have gone through affairs and do not know whether they should let their partners know about it or not. They are faced with making this decision by themselves. But when it comes to revealing an affair to your partner, whether it happened in the past or is still happening, making the decision is never just about whether to tell or not. There are more things that you need to consider before you can move forward, some of which may not even be so obvious.

It is not just your partner’s reaction to your having an affair that you should worry about because there could also be some serious consequences when you do not tell him or her.

Secrets have a way of cutting into relationships and creating suspicion and doubt. In relationships where secrets abound, both parties tend to be cautious especially when it comes to the things they talk about.

Whether you are conscious of it or not, you avoid talking about certain topics because you are afraid that it will lead to you being found out. But you should know that all you are bringing into your relationship is more lies, doubts, questions and suspicion. In most cases, it is this strain in your communication that destroys the relationship rather than the affair itself, regardless of whether or not the affair is revealed in the first place.

Voluntarily telling your partner about the affair doesn’t ensure that it will be less painful – it does not mean that at all. But it does allow you to have control over how you are going to say it and how your partner is going to find out rather than him or her finding out from someone else. This gives you the opportunity to reveal your affair in a way that will bring you closer together and make your relationship stronger, and not just as a way for you to end your guilt. You must also be prepared to stay and listen to what your partner has to say about it and how he or she will react, whatever those reactions may turn out to be.

So, more than the decision of merely telling or not telling, consider also the why, when and how. Accept your faults and your consequences in the situation, and work towards creating a more open and honest communication that will strengthen your relationship.

Bad Advice: Using Jealousy to Fix a Marriage

Will it really help your marriage if you make your partner jealous, especially after infidelity?

There is plenty of relationship advice that can be found everywhere – books, TV, online, and many other places. And one of the worst pieces of advice that have been put out there is that jealousy can actually be good for a relationship, that it can help fix a marriage.

A few online advice sites and relationship blogs have published articles that gave out this very advice. One article even suggested that couples should make each other jealous on purpose on a regular basis because it will apparently keep the couple on their toes and add spice and a little excitement to the relationship. There is not much basis behind this particular piece of advice, but maybe what the author means is that he or she believes that it will make the relationship stronger somehow, or that it could be a good way in spicing up the relationship. But this is not a healthy way of achieving that, it  is actually the least bit healthy, especially if there’s been a bout of infidelity to consider.

Rebuilding a relationship after infidelity shouldn’t include the negativity that jealousy brings. Building trust, love and great communication are foremost the most important things you should work on, as well as connection, honesty, passion, appreciation and integrity.

The only thing that jealousy will bring to your marriage is more problems and more issues, particularly if you do it on purpose. It can further destroy the trust that’s already been hurt by the affair, and could do irreparable damage to the marriage. So remember to think about the things you read, especially when it is on the internet because no matter how smart or right it sounds, it could actually do the opposite of what it claims to do.

Real-Life Infidelity Stories: Getting Over Feeling “Controlled”

This real-life situation is from a woman who feels controlled by her husband.

It’s been difficult for me ever since I found out about my husband’s affair, especially because I’ve been trying to get him to tell me the details of what happened between him and her but he just won’t talk to me about it. Now, every time we try to have a conversation about anything, it turns into an argument. We just don’t communicate the way we used to anymore. I’ve been trying to piece together all the things he said with the things I found out and nothing makes sense. His stories don’t match up. I don’t know what to believe anymore. I’m trying to understand and forgive him, but he won’t even tell me the truth. To be honest, I’m getting really fed up with what’s happening. I don’t want to be in love with him anymore. I don’t want to be with him anymore. I feel like he’s controlling me and I just want my life back.

Here are a few things that were suggested for her to focus on:

1. Why do you think that you need to know the details of his affair? Do you think that it will help you cope more or move on faster? Dig deep into the reasons behind your need to know.

2. Try to understand why your partner is so hesitant in telling you what you want to know. Is he doing it for any specific reason?

3. Acknowledge this feeling of powerlessness. When does it usually occur? Rate it on a scale of 1-10. When is it the strongest? What happens that makes you feel powerless? When is it the weakest? Try to pinpoint when it happens and when it isn’t there.