Answering the BIG question for women

Why do men cheat?

If you go through the data of divorce and break up rate in America and rest of the world, it's increasing. According to the statistics on cheating spouses, 50 to 70% of married men (between 38 and 53 million men) have cheated or will cheat on their wives.

One recent study found that two-thirds of the wives (26 to 36 million women) whose husbands were cheating had no idea their husbands were having an affair - largely because they failed to recognize their cheating signs. Reasons for the break-up are many, but one man reason is because their partner cheated on her. Have we ever thought about the reason behind this?

It is not an easy question to answer. Men cheat for all sorts of reasons, sometimes it is simply because they can do it, or the opportunity is available. But cheating is done primarily by three types of men: those with low self esteem, those who are unhappy at home and those who are afraid of commitment and are seeking 'fun'.

When we talk about famous cheating men, one of the first cheating celebrities that come to mind is Hugh Grant, a Hollywood film star. While dating Elizabeth Hurley, he was arrested in Hollywood for indecent conduct in a public place with a prostitute named Divine Brown. Shortly thereafter, Hugh gave a public apology on the Tonight Show with Jay Leo and instead of his infidelity affecting his public image negatively, it actually increased his popularity. This was evident in his continued film rolls and when he began dating a socialite and UNICEF ambassador Jemima Khan, ex-wife of Imran Khan.

Some common reasons behind the cheating of men:

Low self esteem: Overall, cheating is done by men with mixed, conflicting or weak values. They are not firm in their commitment, in their identity, neither are they sure of what they really want in life. They tend to have low self-esteem and a lack of trust in others. No matter how 'good' or faithful the partner is, having one woman is not enough. There is always someone better outside.

Perhaps being deprived of expressive love when they were younger, particularly from their mothers, there is always a doubt in their minds as to how worthy they are to women. Add to that, the competitive nature of their world, where they are always trying to impress their peers, and the usual answer is also to try to impress as many women as they can to uplift their feelings of self worth - regardless of the quality of life at home. But that merely causes heartache for the chosen women, while reinforcing the men's low self-esteem as 'bad' guys in a never-ending circle.

They want more: Some men are very unsatisfied with their life. They always crave for more and more excitement. When things get monotonous, they have to do something else to increase their arousal. This leads them to a second woman. These kinds of men also believe that having many partners is seen as a symbol of their status.

Unsatisfied: Married men, and those in long term relationships, cheat mainly because they believe that having a short-term affair will temporarily resolve any problems they have at home and prevent them from 'hurting' anyone long term. This situation mainly grows due to lack of understanding, love and care between the partners. Men may look strong however truth lies in the fact that they are not.

They always long for love and care from there partner and when they don't get it from home, they search outside and believe that this will heal their relationship. How does giving one's self to someone else show love and affection for the person left at home and above all accord her due respects for her love and support?

Fearing Commitments: The next major group of cheating men is the one who fear commitment. They want a secure home, with all the trimmings, one they can return to at the end of the day, but they do not like to perceive themselves as married or long term partners... stuck to one person. They like to keep their options open and so they seek fun, which carries the implication that marriage, or being in a relationship, is serious business so one has to get the fun outside!

They miss the supreme irony that if they are in a really great relationship, it would be automatic in fun and enjoyment because a good relationship does make you happyThis category also contains ageing men who are worried about getting older and believe that by starting again with someone else, usually someone younger, it will give them a new lease of life and make them feel better, while they preserve the status quo at home to ensure the benefits from both sides.

Sacrificing women: Men trusts women and know that they will forgive them easily. So they take it as their rights to enjoy and have fun out and coming back to home at the end of the day. However men are not aware of the fact that even after forgiving there is no love and respect left for that men in the heart of women. Love appreciates, is unconditional and at its heart is respect for the individual. Where there is no respect for a person and their feelings, there is no love.

Studies show most men who cheat want to experiment sexually and experience the rush associated with "new sex." This is their way of prolonging indefinitely the early and intoxicating phase of infatuation in a relationship. But men also have affairs to avoid intimacy, recover their lost youth, or escape an unhappy marriage. Most men know that the cheating is wrong however their needs, self ego take precedence of their feelings and force them to cheat.

Hope this article answers the thorny question. However this is a difficult scenario and the reasons are different for every relationship. No one can provide you answer why your man has cheated, not even your man is aware of this. This is the situation when you both have to take a mature decision and decide whether you want to continue the relation or not.

Very soon we will come up with the solution to this problem. But remember the saying goes "For better or worse!" So it may all the worth it in the end. All the best!

(Sources: huffingtonpost.com, affirmations-for-success.com, womansavers.com)