Expert reveals 6 betrayals that are worse than cheating in a relationship and some may surprise you
Topics: News, Sex and Relationships, Community, Mental Health
Lucy Devine
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock
Topics: News, Sex and Relationships, Community, Mental Health
A relationship expert has revealed the six betrayals that are actually worse than cheating.
Most of us would consider infidelity to be one of the worst violations of trust between you and your partner, but sex and relationships expert Tracey Cox has explained that there's plenty more issues that couples should be concerned about - and they can do much more damage to a relationship.
In fact, Cox has listed six betrayals which she believes can destroy a relationship completely.
Let's get into them.
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If a partner changes their mind about a shared future, for example, suddenly deciding they don't want to have kids, it can be extremely painful and hard to adapt to.
Cox wrote, via the Daily Mail: "Few betrayals cut as deep as discovering your partner has changed their mind about the life you've been visualising together.
"It might be children, moving abroad, career sacrifices promised or reneging on longed for lifestyle choices. You've changed your life to work towards this moment – then they casually announce they don't want it anymore."
Cox explains that watching how somebody responds in a time of crisis is often telling.
It can be a huge betrayal if the person you rely on isn't as supportive as you thought they would be.
For example, one person told Cox: "My father died suddenly. My mother was shattered and I'm an only child. My wife? She told me I wasn't fun anymore and it wasn't manly to cry. When I needed her most, she made me feel like my grief was an inconvenience in her life,' one man told me."
You generally expect the person you're spending your life with to support you, but Cox warns that if they're regularly in everyone's corner other than yours, it can be a devastating blow.
While Cox explains that wanting to hear both sides of an argument, or occasionally playing devil's advocate is fine, your partner should have your back more often than not.
Emotional abandonment over time and feeling as though you're never a priority can be tough.
Cox explains that this kind of emotional abandonment can be confusing, especially if the withdrawal of emotions is subtle and gradual.
One person told Cox that although their partner was physically present, they spent every evening on the phone and every weekend with friends.
If they planned anything together, they would often cancel.
Cox explains that while temporary lapses in sexual contact can be normal for a variety of reasons, withdrawing completely and then refusing to address it is a common 'relationship betrayal' and can cause a lot of distance between a couple.
"When it happens, it's usual for the partner who withdraws sexually to control the narrative entirely. Any attempt to discuss it is framed as pressure, their partner is 'sex obsessed'. They cut you off sexually – then make you the villain for minding," says Cox.
As devastating as it may be to face, having a partner who cannot feel empathy for your feelings can be difficult to fix.
Cox points out that while cheating can often be worked through, you can't force empathy and the lack of care can cause resentment to build.
Cox warned: "This creates a particular kind of loneliness – being unseen by the person who claims to love you most. It also creates resentment – especially if they're caring (or pretending to care) more about others than you."