What are the effects of cheating on mental health? Experts answer

The singer’s recent relationship breakup Iza 33, with the football player Yuri Lima 27, moved the web last Wednesday (10), when the artist revealed that she had been betrayed by the athlete, with whom she is pregnant expecting their first daughter.

In addition to the support network, formed by fans and celebrities, internet users also raised the debate about the negative impacts of betrayal on mental health. CNN psychologist Anne Crunfli, specialist in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, explains that it is important to understand the concept of infidelity.

“It’s anything that goes against the other person’s nature, that is, their values, their morals. It’s that social contract made when you choose to develop a relationship. So, if you lie, it’s infidelity. If you cheat, it’s infidelity,” he says.

In short, it is everything that is not clarified, that “is not worthy of being considered fit to be part of a healthy and functional relationship”, he adds.

The effects of betrayal on mental health

In addition to the pain and typical suffering, infidelity, according to the professional, generates a certain negativity — in the sense that the person begins to question everything that they were certain of or in control of.

“In a relationship where there is betrayal, the betrayed person may begin to wonder whether they really have the values ​​they believed they had,” says the psychologist.

Still on the subject of mental health, emotional isolation also becomes another warning sign. “The person becomes hyper-sensitive, hyper-vigilant and hyper-comparative. And, before even giving another relationship a chance, they compare possible previous behaviors,” he explains.

Psychologist Matheus Karounis, who has a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, mentions feelings of frustration, anxiety and stress.

“In a life as a couple, in which the parties share individualities and intimacies, a persona is created that represents both, called ‘conjugality’. Thus, when one side performs a behavior in this sphere, the other has, mentally speaking, the entire construction hurt or destroyed”.

Pain and suffering during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a period of greater emotional fragility, since female hormones are not at their normal levels. Given this scenario, the negative effects of cheating can be amplified.

According to Anne, emotions become heightened, and it is necessary to understand that this is just a phase. “This is the big issue of self-confidence. In some stages, we are fragile and in others, we are more confident. Therefore, rationality is important to understand what led to this, to analyze ourselves without feeling guilty, and to do things differently in the future”, she emphasizes.

Matheus also explains that, following common pregnancy behaviors, infidelity adds an extra layer of anguish and emotional instability. “A possible consequence is postpartum depression — a condition of deep sadness that can even interfere with the development of the maternal bond.”

How to deal with post-cheating?

A CNN professionals also gave recommendations for dealing with feelings after experiencing infidelity.

• Don’t be ashamed of what happened: try to find a support network, people with safe and solid connections;
• Use rationality: think about what this relationship represented, rationalize what happened;
• Do not invalidate other relationships: do not transform the part into a whole;
• Don’t close yourself off emotionally: it’s important to let your emotions flow, respecting your time;
• Know how to ask for help: remember that you are not alone, no one is a robot;
• If you feel the need, seek a mental health professional: it is important to address challenges with specialists who will help rebuild confidence, new vision and future steps.

Cheating can have negative impacts on mental health