Suspect Cheating? These 2 Major Clues Could Confirm Your Suspicions

Doubts about fidelity often grow gradually. It can be hard to tell whether you’re imagining things or if there has indeed been a change. This ambiguity is what complicates matters: a single isolated incident might not mean much. Nevertheless, some experts explain that they always pay attention when evaluating such scenarios.

Infidelity is not uncommon. A 2025 Ifop survey revealed that 31% of French men and women have been unfaithful at some point in their lives. “Some cheat because they feel suffocated in their relationship and can’t find a way to change their partnership, so they look elsewhere for that breath of fresh air,” Sandra Barba, a psychotherapist, told us in a previous article. For others, it’s primarily to fill a void, for the thrill of the forbidden, or “to allow themselves sexual deviations or originalities without emotional attachment,” she explained. In any case, if these infidelities occur, it’s because “they are not completely fulfilled or happy,” the professional confirms. There are two signs that can expose a cheater…

The first, according to marriage therapist Benjamin Watkins speaking to Body+Soul, is a change in your partner’s behavior. He considers this the most crucial because it involves several changes that occur simultaneously. A phone that’s now always face down or not left out as usual, a defensive attitude in response to simple questions, more frequent outings from home, engaging in new activities alone, sudden work commitments, less responsiveness to calls…

The second warning sign is an increased attention to appearance. After more than 30 years in the field, private detective David King also told Body+Soul that he often notices the same changes: “Returning to the gym, shaving more regularly for men, wearing cologne. For women, it manifests as more meticulous makeup and nails, more provocative clothing, including lingerie.” But he too underscores a critical point: none of these elements, on their own, confirms infidelity.

Before embarking on an investigation worthy of a crime drama, experts, mentioned by Vice magazine, advise primarily to talk. An honest conversation is far more valuable than snooping through a phone or tracking your partner’s movements. And even if infidelity is ultimately discovered, all is not necessarily lost. A 2024 study published in the Journal of Family Therapy showed that trust can be rebuilt, provided that actions match words. At the end of the day, it’s behaviors that make the difference, much more so than promises.