Infidelity in marriages has been a topic of interest for many years, with many studies conducted on the topic. Recently, with divorce rates being what they are in the United States, there has been an increase in the amount of research focused on understanding the causes and effects of infidelity as well as possible ways of minimizing the probability of it occurring.
Infidelity is also known as: cheating, straying, adultery, being unfaithful, or having an affair. It is a violation of a couple's emotional and/or sexual exclusivity. When someone brings infidelity into a relationship, it is devastating. It’s no wonder why the immediate response after finding out that someone cheated is to feel disbelief, anger, sadness, and grief. It can be possible to move on and rebuild after infidelity, but it takes a lot of effort and forgiveness. There seems to be three common phases of recovery after an affair: the crisis phase, the understanding phase, and the vision phase.
