For as long as there are relationships, there will always be cheaters, and cheaters are usually sneaky. Many of the accounts on Ashley Madison, the controversial adultery site recently hacked by a private group, used webmail addresses and prepaid credit cards, perhaps, in an attempt to conceal their identities from their partners, according to Forbes.
The release of these personal details of unfaithful partners from the hacked database has opened a huge can of worms for many relationships. Wives and girlfriends may be wondering if their partners could be cheating on them.
There is no surefire way to tell whether someone is cheating, according to Business Insider, but there are many signs that could give spouses or partners some clue.
1. You notice sudden changes in their behavior and demeanor. This could either mean they are nicer or meaner than usual. They may shower you with compliments all of a sudden and agree to most of what you want. In some cases, they could also be easily irritated or short-tempered. They may also change their routines and rituals. If you've been with your partner for years, then their little quirks and irks are already familiar to you, but anything more than usual could be a red flag.
2. They are more focused on their appearance. They change up their hairstyle, clothes and even their choice of scent. They may even change their manner of speaking. Heard your partner utter new lingo or a new expression? If they are spending time with someone else, they are bound to pick up some these from the other person.
3. They spend way too much time with their phone. Cheaters tinker with these a lot, even in the bathroom. They don't leave their phone lying around. When you attempt to hold or use their phone, they freak out. Their gadgets are password protected and they will balk at giving you the code if asked.
4. You suddenly can't keep with their schedules. There seems to be a lot going on that doesn't involve you. Busy time at work, a friend needs their help, there's a visitor from out of town - all these reasons to miss dinner with family or weekend dates with you. You also can't seem to get a hold of them on their phones when they're out. Why is it always out of reach? When you do get a hold of them and you start complaining, they tell you you're clingy or advise you to stop being paranoid.
5. You find items in the car that aren't familiar to you. A hair clip? An earring? A cuff link? A handkerchief? If you ask, they pretend to not know how it got there either.
Experts have advised to "talk" rather than "confront" the cheater. "The cleanest way to do this is to set up some time when you can sit and talk. You want a time when you are rested, you have your questions written out, your partner is willing to talk, all phones are off, the children are taken care of and you are in a safe place," wrote therapist Robert C. James, via Huffington Post.
For more on the Ashley Madison data dump and how it could affect you, check out this article from HNGN.
Here's an infographic from Business Insider with more signs of a cheating partner:
