This is Why People Cheat

Cheating on your SO sucks and it's a pretty crappy thing to do, so why do people do it? Most people think that people who cheat are selfish jerks who are purposefully hurting their partner, but the answers in an AskReddit thread asking cheaters why they are cheating might change your mind. I'm not saying that cheating isn't bad (it sucks), but as many of the answers in the thread reveal, cheaters don't set out to cause their partner pain, and many still love their partner, even if they were unfaithful. You just might have a little more compassion for people who cheat after reading these answers.

There's a lot people don't understand about infidelity. Before we get to the juicy Reddit answers, let's uncover some cheating myths.

Myth #1: People Always Cheat Because They Don't Love Their Partner

Not necessarily true. A Rutgers study conducted by Helen Fisher (I know what you're thinking and yes, I'm pretty sure it's the same Helen Fisher from the one-night stands study!) found that of people who cheated in their marriages, 34% of women and 56% of men reported being happy or very happy with their spouse. Sounds paradoxical, I know.

Myth #2: People Cheat With Random Strangers They Meet At a Bar

Once again, not so. At least, not usually. Women's Day reported that most people cheat with someone they know, which I mean, makes a lot of sense. And here's another scary fact for you: Focus on the Family found that over 60% of affairs start at work.

Myth #3: Men Cheat More Than Women

You know where this is going. According to Prevention, the rates of infidelity are just about equal amongst the sexes: 23% of men and 19% of women cheat.

Now that we've done some myth-busting, let's get to the fun stuff: the stories. That's why you're here, isn't it. Warning: these are kind of long, so I only picked a few.

A final disclaimer: Don't be a jerk and harass any of the people who responded to the thread. Seriously.

1. "You pushed the envelope, little by little..."

2. Communicate, communicate, communicate!

One more time: please communicate your needs with your partner. This just makes me sad.

3. This is kind of the sweetest story ever. Strap in, it's really long.

I definitely don't advocate marriage as a way to "save" a relationship, but I'm glad things seem to have worked out for this guy. Even if this story seems a little too good to be true.

Images: diego cervo/Fotolia; Reddit