How to Deal With a Cheating Boyfriend

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Finding out your boyfriend is cheating feels awful, and you're probably very hurt right now. When you feel ready, talk to your boyfriend about what happened. To cope with your heartbreak, work through your emotions and take good care of yourself. Eventually, you’ll be able to move on with or without him in your life.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Confronting Him

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  1. Having a serious conversation with your boyfriend will be hard, especially if you’re upset. To help you get through what you need to say, decide what you want to tell him in advance. Then, practice saying that out loud. This will help you during the actual talk. [1]
    • Try talking to a mirror or explaining it to a supportive friend.
  2. Call or text him to tell him you’re ready to talk about what happened. Invite him to meet you in a neutral location or somewhere you feel comfortable. Schedule a time when you’ll have plenty of time to discuss the situation and won’t feel rushed. [2]
    • For example, you might ask him to meet you at your house or at a local coffee shop.
    • You might text him, “I need to talk to you about what happened with Stacey. Can we meet up at the Good Beans Cafe at 1 p.m.?”

    Variation: You might not know for sure if he’s cheating or not. In this is the case, you might text him something like, “I heard some things going around that have me confused. Can we meet up at Good Beans Cafe at 1 p.m. to talk?”

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  3. You might suspect he’s cheating if he’s been pulling away from you or you’ve been hearing rumors. If this is the case, it’s best to ask him directly instead of making assumptions. Explain your suspicions and why you feel that way. Then, ask him if he’s actually cheating on you. [3]
    • You might say, “I’ve noticed that you haven’t kissed me in 2 weeks, and now I’m hearing rumors about you going on a date with Alex. Is it true that you cheated?”
  4. He probably wasn’t trying to hurt you when he cheated, but he needs to know the pain his actions caused. Explain how you feel about what happened and why it hurt you so much. Say as much as you need to say to feel better. [4]
    • You might say, “I feel so hurt and betrayed right now. I trusted you with my heart, and you broke it into a million pieces.”

    Variation: Your boyfriend may refuse to listen to how you feel or you might decide that you don’t want to talk to him again. In this case, write him a letter telling him how much he hurt you, then burn it or tear it up. This will help you feel better even if you don’t tell him how much he hurt you.

  5. Listen to his side of the story but don’t accept blame. You probably know that there are 2 sides to every story, and seeing things from your boyfriend’s perspective could help. Give him a chance to explain himself and try to understand his side. However, don’t let him try to blame you or excuse his behavior. [5]
    • This gives your boyfriend a chance to tell you if he wants to save your relationship and why you should take him back. Additionally, it might help you understand that he didn’t cheat to hurt you.
    • If he starts to blame you, hold up your hand and say, “Stop. I’m not going to accept blame for your actions. If you’re going to blame me, we can end this conversation now.”
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Coping with Heartbreak

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  1. Give yourself permission to grieve . Finding out your boyfriend may be cheating hurts a lot, so let out your pain. Acknowledge how you’re feeling right now and express your emotions in a healthy way. Give yourself as much time as you need to grieve. This will help you feel better faster. [6]
    • Say to yourself, “I feel so betrayed right now” or “I feel so sad because I thought we were perfect together.”
  2. You might feel overwhelmed by your feelings at times, and expressing them can help you feel better. Try different coping strategies to figure out what helps you work through your emotions. For instance, you might do the following: [7]
    • Call your best friend to vent.
    • Write in your journal.
    • Take a hot bath and listen to relaxing music.
    • Watch your favorite comedy.
    • Go for a walk or run.
    • Do yoga .
    • Express yourself through art.
  3. Going through a heartbreak can make you feel like your love has abandoned you. However, you actually have a lot of people around you who love you so much! Take your mind off of what’s happening with your boyfriend by spending time with your friends and family. Invite them to hang out at home or to do something fun. [8]
    • For instance, invite your best friend to your house for a movie night or go bowling with a group of friends.
    • Try not to talk about what’s going on with your boyfriend. Instead, focus on the great relationships you have in your life.
  4. When your partner cheats, you may try to figure out what you did wrong in the relationship. However, there’s no excuse for his decision to cheat! He is the only one responsible for his cheating, so don’t blame yourself. When you start to worry you did something wrong, tell yourself that you can’t control what he does. [9]
    • Say, “I don’t control his behavior. If he decided to cheat, that’s his fault, not mine.”

    Tip: Sometimes a cheating partner will point out problems in the relationship that they claim drove them to cheat. For instance, your boyfriend might say, “You weren’t paying attention to me” or “You were too busy with your friends, so I met someone else.” However, the truth is that he could have talked to you about your issues instead of cheating. Don’t accept the blame.

  5. Practice self care so your needs are met. Right now you probably feel like eating ice cream and binge-watching TV. However, you’ll feel better faster if you eat healthy meals, get dressed, exercise, and follow a routine. Write out a simple routine that you can follow while you’re feeling down about your relationship. Additionally, do something nice for yourself every day. [10]
    • For example, you might set a goal to get dressed, go to work or school, exercise, and work on a hobby. Additionally, you might plan simple, healthy meals like yogurt with cut up fruit, a salad with grilled chicken, or a turkey wrap with a side of steamed veggies.
  6. When you find out your boyfriend cheated, it’s natural to want to get revenge. It’s okay to fantasize about kissing his friend or keying his car, but actually doing it is a bad idea. You’ll likely feel even worse and might end up in trouble. Instead of worrying about revenge, do things that make you feel happy. [11]
    • As an example, buy yourself a new outfit, bake cookies with your best friend, or go on a road trip with your friend group.
    • It’s okay to indulge your fantasies of revenge. For instance, you might picture yourself ruining his favorite record or putting a dead fish in his car. Just don’t go through with it!
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Moving Forward

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  1. Give yourself time to think about what you really want. Consider what happened, how you feel, and what he said during your conversation. Then, make a decision that’s right for you. [12]
    • If you know you want to end things, it’s okay to go ahead and do that. However, don’t feel like you need to make the decision quickly if you aren’t sure.
  2. Your boyfriend’s cheating might make you lose trust, which is understandable. If you’re unable to trust him, your relationship may not be fixable. Consider if you feel like you can work through this or not. Then, decide if you want to break up or stay together. [13]
    • It’s okay to get advice from other people, but make the decision that feels right to you.
  3. so you can feel better. Take as much time as you need to forgive. Then, do it so that you feel better, not for him. When you feel ready, tell him that he’s forgiven or write it in a letter that you never send. This will help you move on. [14]
    • You might say to him, “What you did hurt me so much, but I’ve chosen to forgive you and move on.”
    • Forgiving him is not about forgetting what happened or saying it’s okay. It’s your way of telling him that you aren’t going to let him affect your future.
  4. If you want to work things out, you’ll have to leave the cheating episode in the past. That means not bringing it up when you’re angry or feel hurt by him. Do your best to focus on your future together, not your past. [15]
    • For instance, you might be tempted to accuse him of cheating every time he’s late. If you do this, it’ll ruin your relationship.
  5. It’ll take time to get the trust back in your relationship, but it’s possible. Work with him to rebuild your trust by talking every day and spending more time together. Additionally, follow through on your promises and hold him accountable for his. [16]
    • For instance, if he promises to take you on a date, remind him to do so. Similarly, if he promises to text you at certain times of the day, text him if he forgets.
  6. Break up with him if you decide to end the relationship. It might be best for you to break up with your cheating boyfriend, especially if he’s cheated more than once. If you make the decision to break up with him, talk to him in person. Tell him how you feel and that you think it’s time for you to end the relationship and focus on your future. [17]
    • Say, “After you cheated, my feelings for you changed. I’m really hurt and angry over what happened, and I can’t be in this relationship anymore. I’m ending this so I can focus on my happiness.”

    Tip: If he’s cheating on your continuously, it’s best for you to end things and move on. Right now, he’s not ready to be faithful to someone, and you deserve better. You will find someone who’s a better match for you, so let him go.

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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    What does cheating say about a person?
    Cherlyn Chong
    Relationship Coach
    Cherlyn Chong is a breakup recovery and dating coach. With 6 years of experience, she specializes in working with high-achieving professional women who want to get over their exes and find love again. She has experience as an official coach for The League dating app, and has been featured on AskMen, Business Insider, Reuters and HuffPost.
    Cherlyn Chong
    Relationship Coach
    Expert Answer
    That all depends on why they cheated in the first place. Some people cheat to get attention, to spice things up in the bedroom, or to meet their needs. It's best to sit down with your partner and discuss why they did what they did.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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    Not Helpful 6 Helpful 12
  • Question
    What should I do when he cheats on me continuously?
    Danielle Husband
    Community Answer
    If he cheats on you continuously, he isn't respecting your relationship. It's unlikely that he's going to stop doing it. It may be best for you to break things off with him so you can meet someone who is faithful to you.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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    Yes No
    Not Helpful 9 Helpful 53
  • Question
    I just found out my boyfriend is cheating on Facebook with more than 4 girls. What must I do?
    Danielle Husband
    Community Answer
    Talk to your boyfriend to tell him how his actions made you feel. Then, think about what's best for you. It may be best for you to break things off with him so you can find someone who's faithful to you. If you want to save your relationship, work on rebuilding your trust.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 13 Helpful 36
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      Tips

      • Don’t stay with someone who repeatedly cheats on you because you’re worried you won’t find love again. There is someone out there who will treat you well!
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      • A good relationship requires trust, so go with your gut feeling. If you can’t trust him, it may be best for you to part ways.
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      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • Remember: once a cheater, always a cheater. Never make excuses for them or feel like it was your fault—it's not! If you truly loved someone, you would never hurt them that way.
      • Never blame yourself for a cheating partner's actions. Even if the relationship was completely "perfect," he would still find a reason to be unfaithful.
      • Be open to communicating with him in the future if you feel he has changed and is more honest than he was before.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/friendship-20/201802/your-partner-cheated-now-what
      2. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/friendship-20/201802/your-partner-cheated-now-what
      3. ↑ https://au.reachout.com/articles/how-to-cope-with-being-cheated-on
      4. ↑ https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/teens/relationships/relationships-101/cheating-and-breakups
      5. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/friendship-20/201802/your-partner-cheated-now-what
      6. ↑ https://psychcentral.com/blog/after-youve-discovered-your-partner-is-cheating-5-unexpected-emotional-reactions/
      7. ↑ https://au.reachout.com/articles/how-to-cope-with-being-cheated-on
      8. ↑ https://au.reachout.com/articles/how-to-cope-with-being-cheated-on
      9. ↑ https://au.reachout.com/articles/how-to-cope-with-being-cheated-on
      1. ↑ https://psychcentral.com/relationships/getting-over-the-hurt-of-an-affair
      2. ↑ https://psychcentral.com/relationships/getting-over-the-hurt-of-an-affair
      3. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/friendship-20/201802/your-partner-cheated-now-what
      4. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/friendship-20/201802/your-partner-cheated-now-what
      5. ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/traversmark/2022/09/23/a-psychologist-explains-how-to-handle-the-pain-of-being-cheated-on/?sh=71a650942e1a
      6. ↑ https://www.loveisrespect.org/content/building-trust-after-cheating/
      7. ↑ https://www.loveisrespect.org/content/building-trust-after-cheating/
      8. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/friendship-20/201802/your-partner-cheated-now-what

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      If you have a cheating boyfriend, you have to decide what you can forgive and what would be a deal breaker. For example, you might want to give him a second chance if he cheated once, but if he has a mistress he’s been seeing regularly then you might decide it’s over. It’s normal to feel angry in this situation, but approach him calmly so he’s honest rather than defensive. When you’re talking, ask him how often he’s cheated and what he wants to do moving forward. Once you get all the answers, you can decide if you want to stay together. If you choose to work through it, let him know what he should do to earn your trust back like removing the password from his phone. For more advice, including how to know if your boyfriend is cheating, keep reading!

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