It’s an unsettling thought to consider that your partner might cheat, yet it’s a reality that occurs more often than people might expect.
Infidelity is frequently a final straw in relationships, despite no union being flawless.
Techopedia reveals that the United States ranks highest for infidelity, with 71% of 2,000 individuals confessing to having been unfaithful.
Some might uncover a partner’s betrayal through suspicious text exchanges or questionable online activity…
For others, the burden of guilt becomes overwhelming, leading them to confess their indiscretions directly.
However, one subtle indication might suggest that your partner is not being completely honest with you.
A Reddit user engaged in the R/AskReddit forum asked: “From personal experience, what are the signs your partner is cheating?”
The thread amassed over a thousand replies, but one response in particular struck a chord with many social media participants.
This is known as the ‘drip theory,’ or ‘trickle truth,’ where a dishonest partner gradually discloses the full story over time.
One commenter explained it as: “Drip feeding — i.e. when something originally innocuous gradually turns out to be less and less so.”
An example was given: “I was out with the girls… I was out with a mixed group… actually it was Dave and his mates… actually it was just Dave… actually we weren’t out, we were at his…”
The progression continued: “Nothing happened… okay we kissed… okay we slept together but it was just once… okay I’ve been f*****g him for a year…”
This method is not only painful for the deceived partner but also challenges the notion of giving the benefit of the doubt.
The Redditor elaborated: “Obviously it’s obvious by the end, but the lesson is that by the second ‘drip’ you can tell something is up, and it’s going to turn out much worse.
“There are never only two drips.”
Elsewhere on Reddit, an individual admitted to their own experience with ‘drip-feeding’ the truth.
Reflecting on their year-long ‘trickle truthing’ of their wife, he confessed: “I attempted to control the outcome… through more lies… I tried to fabricate the ideal situation to minimize damage.”
He advised others: “Tell the entire truth the first time, no matter how difficult it is. Or how much you believe it will hurt them.”
“The worst that happens is you lose them. But you already run that risk.
“We all know what we signed up for when we made the choices we did. The only person we can blame is ourselves.”