Infidelity is one of the main reasons why couples fight and break up. It is utterly devastating to learn that your partner has been unfaithful to you. And emotional cheating can sometimes be just as bad as if the person did it physically. Learning about it can make you react very strongly—it’s natural to be upset and angry.

Redditor u/Apprehensive-Bad8053 recently turned to the r/AITAH online community for their verdict and relationship advice. The OP learned during an out-of-state trip that his girlfriend had been flirting with another man. So he left her at the hotel, driving back home by himself. Scroll down for the full story and the internet’s reactions.

Bored Panda has reached out to the author via Reddit, and we’ll update the article as soon as we hear back from him.

Learning that your partner had an emotional affair can send you into shock

Image credits: mikoto.raw Photographer / pexels (not the actual photo)

One guy wanted the internet to tell him whether he reacted to his girlfriend’s cheating in an acceptable way

Image credits: Polina Tankilevitch / pexels (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Ron Lach / pexels (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Apprehensive-Bad8053

There are lots of different reasons why couples argue and break up

The Journal of Marriage and Divorce states that a jaw-dropping 70% of Americans will, at some point, engage in some form of infidelity during their marriage.

Meanwhile, research conducted by YouGov found that more than half of all Americans who have ever been in a monogamous relationship say they’ve been cheated on physically, emotionally, or both.

Forbes reports that the most common reasons why couples break up include growing apart, arguing with each other, as well as unfaithfulness. A lack of respect for one another, drastically different interests, as well as money worries also play a large part in creating friction in relationships.

Being unable to share the housework, difficulties with sex, and addiction are also among the reasons why couples eventually break up.

Marriage.com points out that a lack of communication and emotional connection can also lead to breakups. Jealousy, toxic behavior, and an inability to forgive each other for mistakes are also bright red flags that the relationship (probably) isn’t going well.

Romantic relationships aren’t just physical in nature (even if physical contact and intimacy are incredibly important). They’re also deeply emotional. That’s why emotional cheating can be so devastating. Especially when there’s deception and secrecy involved.

Image credits: Budgeron Bach / pexels (not the actual photo)

Emotional affairs can be just as bad as physical ones, depending on what happened

Psychology Today explains that people who realize their partner has been having an emotional affair can feel shock, sadness, anger, and betrayal. Though some relationships end due to emotional affairs, they don’t necessarily have to.

Couples who are able to move on from emotional infidelity can end up strengthening their own connections, making them deeper and more resilient. However, this requires a level of openness, honesty, and vulnerability that not everyone might feel comfortable with.

Either way, repairing the relationship will take time, patience, transparency, and a willingness to compromise. Trust, once broken, can be rebuilt, but it happens slowly and subtly.

Why someone cheats emotionally or physically depends a lot on each individual, their (unmet) needs, as well as what their relationship is currently like. Someone who feels lonely, ignored, or disrespected might look for other people to connect with.

Others might feel dissatisfied with the current state of their relationship. They might not be getting their physical or emotional needs met, so they begin looking outside the relationship for validation and companionship.

Still, others might feel like they’ve lost their confidence, so they seek the approval of strangers to remind themselves that they’re still attractive and desirable.

Then there are individuals who suddenly realize they haven’t been attracted to their partner for ages. But instead of talking about the issue and trying to solve the root problem, they choose to flirt with strangers.

Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio / pexels (not the actual photo)

Many readers came out in support of the guy. Here’s what they had to say about what happened

However, not everyone saw the situation the same way. Some folks were very critical of the author, too

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