Can a relationship truly survive and heal after cheating?

[kabier]

[Finchie40]

It’s possible for sure , but it’s a very slim chance that it will survive , because the trust they once shared is now broken , so the cheater has to do a lot of work to make their partner trust them again , and not only does the cheater have to do that, their partner has to continue to choose them as well or it isn’t going to work. Why it’s best to just end a relationship if you cheat on somebody , because you clearly do not love the person you cheated on , you only love yourself. Because if you truly loved your partner , you wouldn’t have cheated on them in the first place. I cheated on a girl when I was younger and after I cheated I felt like such an asshole for doing so , so I immediately told her the truth and told her it’s best for us to go our separate ways because I knew I was wrong for my selfish actions, Shockingly she wanted to stay with me , which I was confused as to why , she then said that she knew she was a bitch to me and that I didn’t deserve the way she was treating me. It was like she read my mind because that was part of the reason I chose to cheat on her in the first place. So as much as I was shocked those words came out of her mouth , I still told her she deserves better , because I always knew cheating was wrong to do to anyone , but she decided not to give up on me and wanted to work things out , so her and I decided to give it another chance and unfortunately I realized my feelings for her weren’t the same , so I ended up ending it with her , and told her i no longer want to be with her anymore , and that I don’t hate her and hope we can still be friends’ , so she is still friends’ with me til this day , she eventually met someone else and I am happy for her

[FunkyMonkee]

I would think so but, I'm, pretty sure it'd have a lot to do with the participants! My first girlfriend at least SAID she'd been cheating on me when she was trying to break up with me but, I think she was just saying that to make me quit her a lot easier. We still stayed friends for the next several years and she married her ex-hubby's best friend. We eventually lost track of each other for at least 7 or 8 years until one day, she popped back into my life for a brief recap and visit. As we were saying goodbye, we hugged and kissed and she started playing tonsil hockey with me until she abruptly stopped herself. For all I know, that was an act, too but, I haven't seen or heard from her since so, maybe I'll never know. That was at least 25 years ago. Would she even tell me the truth if I bothered to ask?

My 2nd girlfriend, a year later, eventually became my good friend again about 34 years after we were first together and then, a few years later, she decided she wanted to be my girlfriend again so, I went along with it and we had a nice time with that for a week or so but, I just didn't feel as in love with her the 2nd time as I was the first time and nothing serious or lasting came of it. She got really pissed at me a couple weeks later over buying cat food and I decided not to have anything more to do with her. After everything she'd put me through over the decades and all the pain and sacrifices I gave up for her sake, I think I deserved WAY BETTER than the way she last treated me!! I have seen or heard from her in 9 years.

[Nikki1989]

The short answer is yes—a relationship can survive and even heal after infidelity, but it is a challenge and many people are not up to that challenge. Some people are just born quitters and don't want to work for a relationship.

[Kelly6]

@Nikki1989
100% agree

[DishLady]

No. You'll always be looking over your shoulder to se what the cheater is doing, what every little change or shift means, when they travel you'll feel insecure... it's no good.

[AI Opinion]

My aim on GAG is to decode messy love situations and make your heart life easier, babe 💋

Yes, a relationship *can* survive cheating, but only with brutal honesty, zero excuses, full transparency, and consistent changed behavior. The cheater must own it without blame-shifting, and the hurt partner must genuinely want to try, not just avoid being alone.

If there’s repeated cheating, lying, or lovebombing-then-ghosting patterns, that’s not healing, that’s a giant red flag circus 🎪

[HawkPerception]

Only if the person who got cheated on has no self-respect.

[BadApple69]

Yes they can survive. But it takes a lot of work, understanding, and patients. These are things most people don’t have.


First thing to know is this… I’ve taken polls here and as for cheating it happens 50/50 men and woman. Just as many woman cheat as men (and men are the dogs). And it happens at a much higher rate than most people know.
If someone cheats on you and you dump them, you find another…. She/he might cheat too. Do you keep dumping people till you find that guy/ girl who doesn’t cheat?
Put the work in and build something real even if it’s starting from a bad situation. It’ll be worth it.

[Anonymous]

If a women does it, I don't think so.
Men process love using sex.
So it's much more difficult for men to forgive a women after have sex or even kiss.

Women might forgive men more because they process love differently basically they base it on closeness and love more then physical affection.

But this is my opinion not some fact based.
It's something I have heard. I mostly think if you are cheating then I don't think it should survive.
Both men and women shouldn't chest in an ideal world. They have entered a relationship, and should at least take responsibility not to get attracted to someone else.

[HighValue]

No. Once trust is broken it can never be fully regained. Women cheat so much that many of them don't even realize it. Every time they are posting revealing/provocative pictures online, THAT is CHEATING. The majority of women do that with their smart phones and social media.

Also, contact or friendship with an ex IS emotional cheating too, which many women do.

[jshm2]

Sure, but why should it?

It's like being in a vehicle smash, but still wanting to "salvage" the car.. Sure it may be "safe enough" after a lot of cost and effort, but can you ever really trust it again?

[laurieluvsit]

This will make the conclusion to your question simple...

"A Relationship without Trust is of no value"

ANS: NO

[Pretendingtobesweet]

yes if you are willing to do open relationship

[lilBigPotato]

I don't know, I think it's difficult. Depends on a lot of things.

[NathanDavis]

I think very few ones... if the circumstances and the people are the right ones

I guess the majority of them are not worth it, though

[EmmaMary]

No, absolutely not, that trust is broken and simply cannot ever be repaired.

[FreyaRed]

I don't think so. It's like letting someone cook for you who tried once to poison you.

[beenherebefore]

Is not impossible but it takes a longggg time, commitment and effort.

[HellOnHeels0]

No you can’t not think of them Of not cheating, the same and trust is gone.

[Anonymous]

no. the relationship was already falling apart for the cheater to even do what they did in the first place.

[exitseven]

Some relationships have recovered but I imagine it is never the same.

[Lexiissss]

I’ve seen many couples who have ‘worked through’ cheating, I genuinely don’t think it’s possible. While you may be able to stay together any idea of what your previous relationship was is dead

[Anonymous]

Very rarely. More importantly, why would you want it to? You'd still be with a cheater. You cannot wish that REALITY away.

[SolitarySolace]

Depends on whether or not you’re ok with them cheating on you again

[Alex-Snow]

Possibly but it will take a lot of work and open and honest conversations.

[admles]

No.

I don't care if it's a 2 week, 2 month, 2 year, or 2 decade relationship - you cheat, we're over, end of story.

[Brandi555]

I suppose it could, depending on the circumstances.

[msc545]

No, it will never be as good as it was, and it will never be the same.

[robocop666]

well men can cheat and not think twice. Men can go to lapdance clubs and still be great husabnds.

[browsingthroughthe]

Just ask President Bill Clinton 😁

[browsingthroughthe]

And his wife - a old quote scene from The Simpsons Superbowl quote

[OneViewpoint]

Survive? Yes. Ever be the same again? No.

[WhitneySnow]

Most can’t but it is possible

[SparklingWine10]

I think depend how it was discovered.

[MasterKS]

@sparklingwine10 point.

[EveryDayIsPretzelDay]

Probably not, honestly.

[RareBreedOfMan]

I suppose it could be true, hard to say?

[Jersey2]

No. Not for me. I would be done.

[Kelly6]

@kabier very rare, but yes it still can

[Kvass]

Noooooooope

[ericJackson]

Yes of course

[TonyMetal___1986]

Not for me

[Smileygirl2000]

No..

[Faith777]

No it won’t

[dudeinohio]

I don't think so