What are the long-term effects of staying with someone who cheated on you, even if you think you can forgive them?

[msc545]

[slatyb]

Some people are serial cheaters and unless you are willing to open the relationship it will probably have to end. But if someone cheated after a period of monogamy, there is likely something they needed but were not getting. What was it? Maybe they had been asking for some time and their partner was not responding. In that case, if they are willing to talk through this and make some changes, the relationship can move forward, perhaps healthier and happier.

[capriVib]

Someone like that should never be forgiven. If you forgive them, someone who cheated before will likely cheat again.

[Anonymous]

I expect it would be to find out it wasn’t a one time thing. They usually are philosophically for it so they have justified it to themselves enough that they don’t feel bad enough to stop. There are probably exceptions but it’s safer to assume it will happen again.

[MariaEve]

I will move past it and leave it behind me, because dwelling on it would put me in a stressful situation.

[melnc]

For me? Life goes on. For you? You're burning time you could've spent on something real. Your loss, not mine.

[msc545]

No, the long-term effect for you is that you stay a dumb cuckold for years, and one day you finally realize that, and life gets really bad.

[beenherebefore]

I think it will always stay in the back of your mind.

[SeekerOfTruth007]

Once a cheater, always a cheater.

[Jamie05rhs]

You lose respect.