Ways People Betray Their Partner’s Trust Besides Cheating On Them
While most people would argue that cheating is one of the worst things you can do in a relationship, it's certainly not the only way that someone could betray their partner or violate someone's trust.
Betrayal can come in a lot of different forms, and what you consider a violation of your trust might be different from what someone else thinks. You may be able to look past certain habits or behaviors, but how many of these things could you look past?
Lying About Money
This is especially true the further along you get into a relationship, when things like moving in together or making large purchases potentially come into play. Money is something that couples should be honest about—lying about it only causes more problems.
Not Defending Your Partner Or Taking Their Side
If your girlfriend is completely in the wrong in an argument, then you shouldn't be forced to take her side, but there is the expectation that you're going to stand up for your partner—whether they're present or not. You're a team, and you're supposed to support your teammate.
Making Your Love Conditional
The idea that love is unconditional is a foundational point for most relationships, and you shouldn't have to question that. Your love for someone shouldn't be dependent on certain aspects of your relationship or of their personality or life.
Sending Pictures Or Texts You Wouldn't Want Your Partner To See
If your mom would be uncomfortable looking at a photo you just sent or a text message conversation you just had with someone, chances are your partner is also going to be uncomfortable with it.
Using The Relationship As A Threat
You should consider being in a relationship with your boyfriend or girlfriend to be a privilege. It's not a bargaining chip for you to hold over your partner's head every time you have an argument or disagree with their opinion.
Telling Stories Or Secrets That Aren't Yours To Tell
We've all seen the joke about how if you tell someone a secret, you're really telling them plus their best friend, but that doesn't apply to everything. You should be able to trust that if you tell your partner something private or ask them not to share information about a certain situation, they're going to respect that.
Watching That Episode On Netflix Without You
They promised you that they were going to wait to watch the last two episodes of that show you spent all weekend binge-watching, yet you can see it's no longer in the Netflix queue...
Putting Your Partner Down
You're supposed to be the person who supports your partner and lifts them up, not the one who constantly criticizes them. If there's an issue you want to talk about, make sure you're going about it the right way.
Comparing Your Boyfriend To Others
You might not even realize you're doing it, but think of how your partner must be feeling. Don't fall into the trap of comparing what your boyfriend does to what your friends' partners do. He is his own person, ad it's not fair to compare or ask him to measure up against someone else.
Only Focusing On Your Own Needs
What's the point of even being in a relationship if you're only going to focus on the things that are best for you or the things that you want the most? Your needs and wants should be balanced with what your partner needs.
Not Being Emotionally Invested In The Relationship
A relationship is only going to succeed if both people are completely committed to the relationship. When one person starts to withdraw emotionally, it's often a sign that the end is near.
Eating The Leftovers Out Of The Fridge
It happens to the best of us. It's late at night, you can't sleep and you're looking for a snack, so you decide to eat that leftover takeout your boyfriend brought home from the restaurant. Be prepared to face his wrath and get ready to live with someone who is going to label his food like you live in a college dorm.
Telling White Lies
Everyone tells the occasional white lie (don't even try to argue with us here), but how often is too often? Are you frequently catching your partner telling little lies for what seems to be no reason? Someone who seems to lie about the little things and isn't too bothered by being caught in a lie could be someone who isn't trustworthy down the line.
Okay, But Also: Cheating
Yes, there are lots of other ways to betray someone's trust beyond physically cheating on them, but that's still pretty high up there. Don't be that person. If you're tempted by someone else, have the decency to end the relationship you're currently in.
And Yes, Emotional Affairs Still Count
The idea that you can cheat on your partner unless you are physically with someone else can be a complicated one, but most people agree that withdrawing from a relationship mentally or emotionally and leaning on someone else outside of your relationship is still cheating.
Not Managing Your Own Jealousy
Some people like it when their partner gets jealous because they feel it shows they care, but there's a line. If you're constantly jealous of other people your partner is interacting with and you're trying to interfere with that, maybe the real issue is that you don't trust your partner.
Manipulating The Situation To Get What You Want
Manipulating a situation or manipulating your girlfriend in order to get the outcome you want in any situation is a violation of their trust. It shouldn't be about who won the argument or how guilty you can make your partner feel about something.
Flirting With People Online
Keeping certain conversations to Snapchat because you know they disappear or sliding into the DMs of someone on Instagram is still going to upset your partner. Just because the flirting is online does not mean it's okay.
Keeping In Contact With Their Exes
The most important thing about this one is were they honest with you about it? Or did they keep this from you? Did you know that they were in frequent contact with their ex, or is it a surprise?
Expecting Your Partner To Change For You
Maybe the fact that you're expecting your partner to change all these things about themselves actually means that it's time to change partners. You can't expect someone to change for you simply because you want them to. It's not fair to them.
