Can a relationship truly survive and heal after cheating?

[kabier]

[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 🎪

[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.

[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

[lilBigPotato]

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

[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.

[Anonymous]

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

[OneViewpoint]

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

[Jersey2]

No. Not for me. I would be done.

[Kelly6]

@kabier very rare, but yes it still can

[SparklingWine10]

I think depend how it was discovered.

[MasterKS]

@SparklingWine10 point.

[Kvass]

Noooooooope

[TonyMetal___1986]

Not for me