“Men Never Leave Their Wives”: Top Trigger for Infidelity After 50 Revealed!

According to a survey by Ifop, over half of all men and nearly one third of all women admit to having been unfaithful. Among these, 66% of men are over the age of 50. This is no coincidence, as turning fifty represents a significant crossroads in life. Couple therapist Anne-Catherine Segonds, author of “Men Never Leave Their Wives,” equates this stage to adolescence. Hormones shift, the body changes, children gradually move out, and one’s career may reach a pivotal point—all these upheavals prompt reflections on what comes next. “This period can feel like a great liberation or, conversely, a depression,” notes the expert. In response to these challenges, some relationships grow stronger while others weaken. Infidelity often becomes part of this complex equation.

Anne-Catherine Segonds points out several reasons for infidelity after 50, but it often stems from the same issue: boredom. “The house feels empty, it disrupts the balance, and one is faced with a spouse who may have been a good parent but not necessarily an attentive partner.” The sexual routine becomes more apparent and burdensome: “The same body, the same caresses, the same positions…” Consequently, both emotional and sexual boredom frequently drives infidelity, coupled with a desire for novelty. “The fifties can be experienced like a second twenties,” asserts Anne-Catherine Segonds. There’s a craving for physical renewal. Discovering another body, exploring a different intimacy, trying out new practices: infidelity becomes a way to experiment.

Infidelity might start as a fleeting affair, but it can develop into a more established relationship, “complete with rituals and routines.” It then gives rise to a relationship that solidifies, where feelings evolve. Past the age of 50, sometimes all it takes is an unexpected encounter to turn a marital life upside down. “You run into a colleague in a hallway, you start talking to a new neighbor… and attraction emerges,” the professional explains. At this age, a sudden infatuation can change everything. Social networks can also spark infidelity: “Many fifty-year-old women I see in therapy talk about rekindled childhood romances,” notes Anne-Catherine Segonds. These reconnections revive unfinished stories and inspire a desire to experience, 30 or 40 years later, what wasn’t possible before.

Infidelity isn’t always about sexual desire. It can fulfill an emotional need: receiving attention, affection, and compliments that one’s spouse no longer offers. “With the internet and social networks, it’s very easy to feel seen, desired, acknowledged. This alone can be enough to tip someone into an extramarital affair,” the expert reminds.

Thanks to Anne-Catherine Segonds, couple therapist and author of the book Men Never Leave Their Wives, published by Jouvence. Source: Gleeden Infidelity Observatory – Survey on the perceptions and behaviors of the French in terms of extramarital affairs, 2014.