I think it’s safe to say that practicing monogamy in a relationship can be a challenge for some people. Cheating is hands down one of the top issues when it comes to rocky relationships. Some individuals just can’t seem to control their bodily urges and therefore open doors to preventable heart ache and pain that they can never take back.

Take this scenario for example. A happy couple of three years has just moved in together. They’ve discussed marriage but have not fully committed to the idea and are happy with their current relationship status. About a month after living together,  one partner starts noticing some irritation in their genital area. The itch you can’t scratch. They brush it off and say “it’s nothing” but can’t figure out why they’re having the problem. They’ve never had any issues in that department before so it’s a little baffling. A few more weeks go by, and the irritation has gotten worse and is even causing them pain. The partner had doubts in the back of their mind about their significant other cheating but quickly let it pass. After all, he/she loves them. Why would they ever cheat?

Unfortunately, people do cheat. Frequently.  And his unsuspecting person is most likely a victim of an STD or worse. So what should a person in this situation do? Let me advise.

First

-Confront the person! Find out exactly what your partner has been doing behind your back. Then take further actions such as numerous tests and look for possible treatments.

Second

-Discover if your partner knowingly exposed you to an STD or HIV. If so,  you might want to consider taking legal action.

For more insight on how to deal with the affects of cheating, purchase my new book, “Am I in a Bad Relationship?“.

Dr. O