Recently, America's former favorite busty clairvoyant, the (now-canceled) "Ghost Whisperer"'s Jennifer Love Hewitt, dished to the gals on "The View" about she was cheated on for three-quarters of a two-year relationship. Ouch. "I knew in my gut that something was going on," said J. Love. "You have to trust [that instinct] ..." What to do when you have that same, sinking feeling that yours is not the only pillow your man has been fluffing? When you listen to that Whitney Houston "It's Not Right, But It's OK" song and suddenly find yourself relating to it? Should you just ignore it? Or go Jessica Fletcher on his ass and start snooping around, looking for concrete clues and confirmation that his recent interest in personal hygiene and the number of times he "accidentally" forgets to turn his cell phone on are actually indicators that he's cheating on you?
"The thought of being betrayed is one of the most heart-wrenching feelings in the world and certainly not [an issue] to avoid," says Tristan Coopersmith of Menu Dating Online. "Adults seeking healthy, enduring partnerships deal with valleys like this one head on. If not, buried demons will be haunting like a bad horror flick and ultimately manifest themselves in other ways in the relationship," she says. "Really think before you speak to your boyfriend about your concerns. False accusations can just as easily ruin a relationship as infidelity can."
"Discard evidence like hearsay [i.e., your cousin heard her friend saw him out with another girl], and try your best not to snoop through his email, phone or any other private information," Coopersmith advises. "You want this process to be as graceful, mature and respectful as possible. Breaking into something password-protected is none of those."
If you do go the snoop route, Coopersmith warns that you should be prepared for what you may find and for the emotional fallout that may come along with it. Rather than embark on a frantic scavenger hunt by hacking into his Blackberry, combing his car for cigarette butts with lipstick on them, or checking his credit card receipts for unexplainable charges, Coopersmith advises trying a more straightforward and levelheaded approach:
"Think of approaching this as you would any other topic of concern -- like you want to work it out. Calm is key so you can not only make clear-headed and clear-hearted decisions, but the more at ease he is, the more likely he will hear your need for the truth and be able to tell it. If he feels like he is being attacked, he will instantly become defensive. The most telling signs are really things that denote a change in his behavior.
"He doesn't want to have sex anymore, he spends less time with you, all of a sudden he really cares about his appearance, etc.," Love echoed this sentiment during her "View" chat: "He was caring more about his appearance ... which is a big sign. They start to work out more and they're like, 'No I just want to get in shape.' For who? Because you haven't been in shape our whole relationship."
What do you think? Would you snoop to confirm your suspicions of a cheatin' heart? What are your truth-getting tactics?












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Tuesday 21 December
By Chantelle
I had that gut feeling but no evidence. I didn't trust a girl friend around my BF and warned him. I had never felt paranoid of any other person before. Even speaking with my psychologist about it, why i felt this way, how it had never happened before, he told me to examine the friendship and if she brought nothing to the table to cut ties and not ignore my feelings.
I didn't want to snoop so I asked him to be honest with me. I sat calmly, looking straight at him, and said he had this opportunity to be honest with me. That I couldn't help but feel hurt if he had cheated on me but at least I would respect him for his strength in confessing. I told him to treat me the way he knew I deserved to be treated and that was with honesty, respect, and love. He told me nothing had ever happened and said he couldn't even tell when she was flirting with him.
A year later, after we had broken up over some other dishonesty, he confessed to sleeping with her "a few times". I think he confessed as a revenge because he told me after he asked me if I had slept with anyone else since we broke up and i answered with a honest 'yes'. He claims it was to finally show he was willing to be honest, but of course he didn't say it to my face. He waited until after leaving my place angry about my honesty and "betrayal". The pain he felt couldn't compare to the flurry of emotions I had for someone who had so little respect for me as a human that he couldn't be strong enough to tell me the truth when met with a calm and rational request.
Trust is a choice and I don't blame myself for making it. I blame him for taking advantage of it. I don't regret the way I handled the situation because I know I was mature and loving. I am mixed about the fact that I ignored my gut instinct, I had no evidence but a 'feeling'. So many other people have those 'feelings' and a lot of the time it's paranoia, insecurity, jealousy, control, etc. I didn't want to be someone driven to snooping, interrogating, or controling my partners life. In the end the love, trust, and treatment I gave him revealed his true colors more than anything else ever could.
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Friday 24 December
By Miriam
Really excellent post, and I agree with everything you said, including your conclusion.
I don't think we have to break up b/c of infidelity, because we don't have ESP. We can break up (of course after trying to reach out) because of the distance that prededes or follows infidelity, even if we don't know about the infidelity that caused it.
Wednesday 22 December
By dannyfrom504
i think the warning signs mentioned above can be applied to women as well as men. i've never cheated on a girlfriend. if i'm in a relationship, i i'm a total advocate for monogamy and loyalty. right after i got stationed back stateside, i met someone and it turned to a relationship a month or so later. i had mixed feelings about the whole thing because of it being a long distance relationship. but i ended it a few months later. at one point, while we were arguing she mentioned she didn't know why i was unsure about the relationship, and that she wasn't cheating on me or anything. instatnt red-flag for me, becuase i never accused or suspected her of it. a few weeks later, she says it again. i ended it and found out 3-4 months later that she had, in fact slept with someone else while we were a couple, so looks like my uncertainty was warrented. i didn't end it b/c of suspecting her of anything, but there certain qualities i saw that made me realize she wasn't the best partner for anything long term. which is what i'm untimately looking for.
i'm very guilty of the waning libido though if i'm drifting apart from a woman though. i won't cheat, but i definately don't want sex as much. i rarely want it tbh. i think once you know someone and you've been with them for a while and they suddenly make a change in the routine you're in, its a big indicator.
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Wednesday 22 December
By Frog
With technology making it so easy to snoop with just a click, it is hard to be tempted and not act on it. I snooped. But what I saw was not as it appeared to be. Just remember, if your temptation overcomes you, and you snoop, what you see may not be how it appears. We were fortunate enough to listen to each other after this, and figure out that it was a complete misunderstanding that got blown way out of proportion. So, if you snoop, remember this also, not all couples are fortunate enough to actually listen to each other if something like this happens. And now...we use good old-fashioned communication...talking face-to-face, a valuable lesson learned.
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Thursday 23 December
By Stone
This a really difficult topic, and eventhough the author says to stay calm, well, that is easier said than done.
However, the question remains, what's a person to do when you approach him with evidence, that he is cheating and he denies it all? Txt messages at 2-3 am to different phone numbers, mms messages sent and received..etc.
And yet, it's all wrong, the phone carrier has made a "mistake"
try dealing with pain of what he did wrong AND the bs on top..
It's sad...Unfortunately, it happens.
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Thursday 23 December
By J Lea
Ya I don't know who they think they are fooling when they do that. Cheating is bad enough but add the I-think-you're-too-stupid-to-find-out stuff on top of that and it's murdering time. Jerks.
Thursday 23 December
By Josie
My gut feeling turned out to be the truth. I divorced his sorry lying cheating cowardly ass. Long term marriage, so now he's paying. HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!! His poor choices and those skanks turned out to be pretty expensive for him.....HA HA HA HA HA!!!! CHA-CHING!!!!!
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Thursday 23 December
By Patriot
Maybe he cheated because you are a shrewish, greedy, bitch. A long-term marriage ends, and your main feeling is glee about "cha-ching"?? Parasitical bitch fish-wife.
Thursday 23 December
By Goddess Debra
1st don't have sex WITHOUT a condom with that person. Trust your feelings-they are usually right. Remember it is the other person who made the choice to cheat-nothing you did. Get rid of the cheater and go on with your life as soon as you confirm it-or maybe it you don't-they can lie really well.
My friends over the years have gotten std's from husbands cheating on them. these days thhose std's can kill you.
get away fast and you will rebuild faster.
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Thursday 23 December
By brachm5
Nothing lasts forever; love wanes. Money may hold it together, but not forever.
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Thursday 23 December
By GoodGrief
Yikes! Does everyone just blindly follow their whims and fleeting feelings, these days?
Of course you can't "find" true love! Love is not what you feel. It's what you DO. Right feeling FOLLOW right actions.
Sound like some of you need to take the "40 Day Love Dare."
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Thursday 23 December
By Luke
Why is it that guys are the only ones that get a bad rep for this. Im not saying its right in any way but there are probably just as many girls out there that cheat on their man as there are men who cheat on women. I have been cheated on in a few of my relationships and not once have I ever cheated.
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Thursday 23 December
By Patriot
Amen, brother. These greedy bitches make men out to be pigs, when they can be whores, too, for any guy with a bigger dick or a bigger wallet, cuz they don't respect "nice guys", just "bad-boy" assholes who treat them like dirt.
Thursday 23 December
By jan
I suspected, I got a detective and found out he was cheating. I got our phone bugged (it was in my name so I could bug my own phone) then I listened to the recordings for a month, gathered evidence and actually listened to what he was saying about thngs he would like to change in OUR relationship. I worked on the small things that were bothering him (most were very small things that he was using as an excuse to cheat) but I quit doing ANY of the things he said that he did not like and gave him more sex than he could handle. BUT, I did not let him know that I knew. I just started going with him all the time, dropping by at work, and basically not leaving him any free time or opportunities to see her. bottom line. she is long gone and we have been together (with no cheating for the last 8 years.) (Yes, I did finally confront him)
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Friday 24 December
By storm
how do you know? have you been listening to the phone calls for the last eight years? i hope he was worth it... just going by what you've said... I don't think much of his "excuses"...
Friday 24 December
By Jen
I'm actually very impressed about the way you handled his cheating. I'm just very curious...how come he couldn't come to you with his problems? He had to go to another woman and dump his insecurities there. I mean, why didn't he just man up and approach you and just have a sit-down with you? If a marriage/relationship is about honesty and communication, why, if he loves/is in love with you, did he not think of you first or bring into account the damage it would do to your relationship? Not being mean, just curious. (btw, kudos for making it work out, you're a better woman than I am).
Friday 24 December
By Jen
I'm actually very impressed about the way you handled his cheating. I'm just very curious...how come he couldn't come to you with his problems? He had to go to another woman and dump his insecurities there. I mean, why didn't he just man up and approach you and just have a sit-down with you? If a marriage/relationship is about honesty and communication, why, if he loves/is in love with you, did he not think of you first or bring into account the damage it would do to your relationship? Not being mean, just curious. (btw, kudos for making it work out, you're a better woman than I am).
Friday 24 December
By Lu
Of course you snoop. How will you ever find out for sure if you don't? Start with cell phones...look up calls in and calls out. Or get the cell phone bill....which can be very telling. Also pay attention to his credit card receipts he leaves laying around. Follow him when he hasn't a clue that you're doing it. You need to satisfy your instinct, your curiosity, your need to know. When you've got proof, send him on down the river !!!!
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Friday 24 December
By kelly
I didn't have to snoop..to nite i got a phone call from his girlfriend cussing my butt out and he was there drunk backing her up...two days before christmas and family here from out of state..and then find out it's been going on for 3 years..no signs what so ever..and i have been married to him for 25 years...merry christmas to me..and this is the god's honest truth..still in shock
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Friday 24 December
By jan
Kelly. so sorry. men can be scum...
He will get tired of this bitch if he is with her all the time. mistresses can always be sweet, just till they take your husband, then they will revert back to just another woman instead of the Hot Mama she has been selling to him. but , of course it will be too late before he wakes up and realizes that "he has been had" and he was better off with you, his kids and the respect of his friends and family. everyone will know it was just one more "mid-life crisis" that allows a skank to make a fool of a married man. I wish that "the other woman" could take more of the blame. everyone knows that women like her use sex to get a man. They pretend that his sex is so wonderful and that they are so wonderful....well if this skank was so wonderful, why was she available.????