I found this article very interesting and, contrary to some other mean comments on here, think the author deserves more credit for her honesty and realising the mistake re: ‘potential’. I also cannot agree with the attitude — that cheating is the worst thing that can happen to a marriage. If you are married to someone who wont communicate with you, is cold, selfish and doesn’t want any intimacy, affection or sexual relationship with you and isn’t interested in your thoughts, feelings or where you are — ever! Why would you even ‘feel like’ you’re cheating? …

Any self-respecting person has to get their needs met; not because they are selfish but because they are human and need and deserve to be loved, understood and valued by their partner. To deny this is to strip someone of all hope, health, peace and happiness and is blatantly cruel and callous. People that say otherwise are clearly not understanding the human condition …

Some people become ‘cheaters’ because they have felt unheard, unloved and rejected in their marriage (sometimes for years on end) and, should they ever meet someone else who adores and appreciates them as they are, it’s completely understandable if they feel compelled to stray. For this reason, it’s also unrealistic to expect someone to leave a long-term marriage before starting a new relationship — A big change of heart is often inconvenient….

It may seem wildly shameful, disloyal and hurtful to a marriage, but some cheaters are from a desperate and lonely place that must be escaped from; they need understanding, not unhelpful moral judgements made by people that haven’t even walked for a minute in their shoes.