How to tell your boyfriend is cheating on you

Just as humans aren't perfect, neither are relationships. While every woman in an exclusive relationship hopes her partner will remain faithful, for whatever reason, sometimes it just doesn't turn out that way. If you suspect you're being cheated on, make sure you have the full facts before confronting your partner. Every man is different, so this list of steps is merely a guide to signs you may have a cheating boyfriend.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Patience
• Time
• An open-mind

1. 'Always trust your woman's intuition,' my mother always says. If you have the slightest inkling that things aren't right, they probably aren't.
2. Has your boyfriend's schedule suddenly changed? Humans are creatures of habit, so any changes should be looked at. Is he suddenly working late more often or cancelling dates with improbable excuses? There could be a valid excuse, such as an upcoming deadline or needing over-time income. However, if it's happening more often than not, you could have a problem on your hands.
3. Emotional distance can happen for many reasons. It is common, however, for cheating men to seem preoccupied and distant. Perhaps text messages, emails and phone calls have become less frequent. When you're together his mind may seem elsewhere and he's stopped listening or laughing. When you phone, do you find it difficult to reach him?
4. While many men show less affection when cheating, some up the ante - even performing new tricks in the bedroom.
5. His grooming habits, exercise habits and wardrobe may have gone through an overhaul recently. You may appreciate his new-found attention to appearance, however he may be doing this for eyes other than yours.
6. Does he act oddly when he receives phone calls when he's with you? An ex of mine, claiming the call was from a work colleague used to rush outside as the "cellphone signal was better". It also allowed him to whisper sweet nothings into his new girlfriend's ear!
7. While some may suggest checking his cell phone and email accounts and even following your boyfriend, I have to say I can't advocate this. It's an invasion of his privacy and it's showing a lack of trust to do so.
8. Rather than confront your boyfriend by saying you think he's cheating, open the lines of communication with him. Discuss how his recent behavioural changes have made you feel. There may be quite innocent reasons behind any of these changes. Remember, he's innocent until proven guilty. If you confront him and get it wrong, he is bound to feel betrayed.

Tips & Warnings

• Trust first, but don't ignore warning signs
• Not all men are equal, so don't expect every cheating man to behave in the same way.
• There are more faithful men than cheaters in the world. Always give your boyfriend the benefit of the doubt.
• Maintain open communications with your boyfriend at all times. Without communication, whether he's cheated or not, your relationship is doomed.
• Don't confront your boyfriend with his 'cheating' unless you are sure he is. If you have not got concrete evidence and you're wrong, he will be crushed by your accusation.