Protecting Relationships from Infidelity

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No marriage is completely safe from infidelity. However, couples who want to protect their relationships can take proactive steps to ensure the maintenance of healthy marriages that will leave both partners less open to temptation of infidelity.

 

Here are a few guidelines:

 

• “Stay honest with your partner… Dishonesty and deception cause infidelity to flourish.” Be open and tell your partner when you feel an attraction to someone else or are tempted to stray—you'll be less likely to act on it.

• “Monitor your marriage.” Pay attention to whether your needs are being met. If they're not, speak up and address it in a constructive manner.

• “Stay alert for temptations.'' Make a real effort to be aware of when an emotional connection may be forming outside your marriage so that you can stop it from going too far resulting in infidelity.

• “Don't flirt.” Flirting expresses interest and opens the door to infidelity. Such behavior can nudge relationships beyond platonic boundaries and into infidelity.

• “Recognize that work can be a danger zone.” Avoid situations that could lead to romance or emotional bonding such as private lunches and regular coffee breaks.

• “Beware of the lure of the Internet” where “affairs develop quickly” and inhibitions are instantly lowered and infidelity seems innocent.

• “Keep old flames from re-igniting.” Protect your marriage by avoiding partners from past relationships—or bring your partner along if you do decide to meet with them.

• “Value the intimacy of your marriage.” Open up to your partner and deepen your relationship so that you won't feel the need to seek intimacy elsewhere, resulting in infidelity.

• “Make sure your social network supports marriage.” Spend time with other married couples or friends who share your values and respect monogamous relationships.

Overall, infidelity tends to arise when a person's needs are simply not being met within their marriage, leading them to fill those needs elsewhere. When partners understand each other's needs and make an ongoing effort to meet them, infidelity is much less of a threat. Open channels of communication are crucial to expressing unfilled needs and preventing resentment from building over time.