Red flags: 5 signs your partner may be cheating on you
Is your partner cheating on you, or are you just overthinking?
Anthony Jennings and Maris Racal have been making the rounds on social media after the actor's ex-girfriend, Jam Villanueva, called him out for allegedly cheating on her with his onscreen partner. Aside from sharing supposed photos of the love team getting seemingly cozy during their work trips together and going on hour-long video chats outside work, she also posted snaps of the alleged flirty conversations between the two that implied they had an intimate affair in the course of her relationship with Anthony.
Thinking it was for their work as onscreen partners, Jam said in her Instagram stories that she “chose to be supportive despite the red flags I couldn’t ignore,” only to find out that her suspicions were correct. “Betrayal like this cuts deep,” she opened up.
Curious about cheating red flags in relationships? While it could be different from one couple to another, there are some tell-tale signs that something’s wrong and your partner may be cheating on you. Here are some that you should look out for.
Changes in communication patterns
Psychologist Wenna Brigaste told PhilSTAR L!fe that a cheating partner “may not communicate as openly or effectively as before.” They pick fights, become overly critical of you, and respond defensively when it comes to relationship matters.
Lordy Santos a.k.a. Tito Mong Psychologist said that they may also start ignoring you and avoid topics related to cheating as well as other behaviors connected to it.
“They may even accuse their current partner of cheating,” he added.
Less intimacy
A cheating partner may also start to show less interest in having a physical connection with you, per Brigaste.
“The frequency and intensity of intimate interactions can get noticeably diminished to the point that they even avoid situations that can lead to intimate activities,” Santos explained.
Attitude changes
According to Brigaste, a cheater might also appear emotionally unavailable or indifferent to you. “They don’t seem to care that much anymore and don’t pay much attention to you,” she explained.
Santos told L!fe you might also notice a change in their attitude towards themselves, noting that this is dependent on the person and situation. “The most common is you might see a decline or boost in their self-esteem."
It can also be seen in their attitudes when it comes to your relationship, which "may now rank lower than other things or socializations in their lives.”
There might also be a change in their attitude towards their partner, "to whom they can be more critical or hostile,” the psychologist continued.
Switching devices
Cheating might also be evident in their decision to make changes in the gadgets they're using. “They may use a different phone or device to have secret phone calls and texts,” Brigaste said, adding that they might likewise lock and protect certain apps to make sure they won’t get caught.
Lies, lies, lies
“Repetitive lying to a partner may be a sign of a deeper problem,” said Brigaste. “If there are inconsistencies in their statements and you can’t tie them all together, it could be a sign that something's up.”
Brigaste highlighted the importance of developing an open communication with your partner. “You should be careful not to get ahead of yourself and assume that your partner is cheating on you just because you found some signs that he could be,” she said. “Communication is key."
