Just found out that my boyfriend of four and a half years cheated on me a year ago. I broke up with him but he swears he's changed, and I'm considering giving it another try. What's the male opinion on this?
Each situation is different, but I find it very hard to trust somebody who has strayed in the past. I know a few people who have cheated, and I can think of only one, whom I would trust not to do it again.
All of us make mistakes/are human/learn from the mistakes. You know the guy better than any of us here. I think you should trust your intuition about him.
And welcome back.
It's a matter of trust ... And he has to earn it!
How did you find out? I think this makes a difference.
I heard it from a friend of the girl he did it with. When I asked him about it, he denied it over and over until I told him some of the details I knew. then he finally broke down and admitted it.
thing is, the girl isn't even attractive. she's really kinda gross, and he's said that himself. it wasn't physical attraction, he thinks it was a mixture of boredom and much deeper issues. he's going to see a psychologist now to see if he can figure out why. the fact that he's willing to pay $150 a visit out of pocket to figure himself out and get me back gives me a little hope. but am I just being naive?
If it was me.... and a gf cheated on me... then willingly went to councelling for help... I would give her another chance. One question here...Would you be willing to enter councelling with him? It might make all the difference in the world
baker, yes, I would be willing to go to therapy with him if he asked me to.
lexy, you make several very very good points. and I'm sure that there is more he hasn't told me. but if he really didn't care for me, I don't understand why he'd be trying so hard to get me back. seems like he should just be relieved it's over and he can do what he wants now.
thanks lex, I think you're right. the odds are against me.
now how pathetic is it that I'm not sure if I care? I definitely don't want to get back together anytime soon. But I'm still having a hard time letting go of all those plans we had for the future.
EVeryone isn't a fool.
Sure, he might have cheated on you, but is that the worst thing?
Did he change how he was towards you the last year, when you didn't know about it?
Sure, he lied. Why didn't he tell you? It meant nothing? he had no bad feelings about it?
Maybe even forgotten about it himself...
Have you talked about how you wanted your future, have you talked about wether or not you both are living with all hopes of monogamy?
When it comes to sex and lust looks don't have to matter. Maybe he just all of a sudden felt the urge to try something new after 3years.
If he takes a unattractive woman, she might not tell anyone... Oh the mind of men... Most women are attractive in their own way.
IF you're goin to let him back in, leave it behind.
If you can't trust him there is no use in it. Noone should have to live in a relation where the other person don't trust you, because of your former mistakes.
<---probably not helping.
People do change, Durrasch.
Just not without free will.
Thanks cat, it does help. Any advice I can get helps. I've never experienced anything like this before (obviously, since I started dating him when I was just 16 and he was my first serious relationship) and I don't know how to handle it at all.
as for him acting differently over the past year... he's been treating me better than ever before. and he always treated me very well. and we have talked about the future, we both want monogomy and a family and all that.
Durrasch, do you really think it's selfish and arrogant of me to want the exact same guy I dated for four and a half years, except one that won't cheat again?
Hm, then it's already in the past...
IF it was that one side step.
If he didn't do it again nor wanted to do it again, maybe he realised that it wasn't his thing.
I don't understand why he should go in therapy now, for something that happened so long ago...
Or did I miss out on something crucial...
And Durrasch, your wife is still happy with you, even though she knows you cheat?
Now tell him to waste that money on some great sextoys for you instead.
Would help him understand why he never did it again.