Common mistake couples make may lead to one person cheating, therapist warns

Learning your partner has been unfaithful can be an absolutely devastating experience, and sadly, there's one all too relatable mistake that could lead to one half of a looking elsewhere.

A recent -commissioned survey of 2,000 adults, conducted ahead of new show found that 33 per cent of Brits have admitted to getting away with adultery. ranked highest on the list, with 41 per cent of those surveyed confessing to having gone behind their other half's back.

On the opposite end of the scale, Sunderland proved to be the most loyal of British cities, with 83 per cent of those polled vowing they'd never strayed.

Unfortunately, many of us will experience being cheated on at some time or another, and sometimes it can point to underlying issues between a couple.

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sex and relationship therapist Ammanda Major previously told the : "Sometimes the adultery is the sole reason they have come to me - or sometimes there are long-term problems in the relationship, which has ultimately led one or both of them to seek support, love and affection from someone else.

“Couples do survive affairs, but it can take a long time for the trust to rebuild and for the sense of betrayal to diminish."

However, as Ammanda proceeded to explain, infidelity doesn't always necessarily point towards significant cracks within a relationship. She revealed: "Sometimes it can be a one-off drunken. Having one too many drinks can make people behave in a way that they would not ordinarily do.

“What is very real though is the devastation and upset and sense of betrayal and loss that come with finding out your partner has cheated - whether it was a one-off or something that has gone for months or years. And the definition of cheating can be different for different people.

“For example, somebody on social media contacting other people might be seen by one partner as breaking the trust and almost like an affair. But that's not how the other person sees it - because it doesn't involve sex.”

In some instances, Ammanda noted, an affair can in fact breathe new life into a relationship, providing a much needed "wake up call". She said: “The wake up call of an affair sometimes does mean that they're able to resume their relationship further down the line and make changes - so their relationship is happier and stronger than it was before."

During her recent visit to Nottingham, to find out why exactly it's such a cheating hotspot, the Mirror's Sanjeeta Bains caught up with Garry Hendrie, 62, and his wife Stephanie, 61, who are looking ahead to celebrating their sapphire wedding anniversary. And despite their home city's reputation, they've remained faithful to each other.

Stephanie told the Mirror: “We’ve been married for 42 years, together for 45 years and neither of us has had any experience of playing away.”

Sharing their approach to maintaining marital bliss, Garry added: “A relationship is about making time for each other. We make sure we go out once a week for dinner or a drink together."

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com

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