This article will discuss what is the connection between cheating and depression. For that, the article will show what depression is, and how it can affect the person in a way in which they become more susceptible to cheating.

What is the connection between cheating and depression?

Depression can change a person completely. It can have such an impact on them that it can lead them to actions that seem out of character, such as cheating. It can make your life values, and view of yourself change, leading to it.

If you are going through depression, it might be important for you to know why you are doing what you are doing. So let’s learn more about depression before we discuss how cheating may be connected to depression.

What is depression?

Depression is a mental health condition that can affect how the person sees the world and themselves. It can make them experience intense sadness, loss of purpose, and hopelessness. You can lose interest in things you used to love and find your energy level is low.

It can also make it harder for you to focus. But not only that, it can change your eating and sleeping patterns, and make you feel isolated, guilty, and ashamed. Along with all that, it causes you to have low self-esteem, and for your sense of self-worth to decrease.

Depression causes the person to feel more irritable, and in some cases, they can consider self-harm, or even think about death and suicidal thoughts. And even though not every person with depression will experience all of these symptoms, the intensity of it can change from one person to the next.

For a person to be considered depressed they need to experience some of its symptoms for more than 2 weeks.

Why are depressed people more susceptible to cheating?

When you are depressed, so much of you may have changed, that you are considering cheating on your partner. Here are some reasons why that might be going on.

Looking for attention due to low self-esteem

Depression can impact the view the person has of themselves. They may begin to feel their self-esteem is low, and that they need some way to reaffirm how good they are. An affair can be a way for them to rediscover how desirable they still can be, and how others may be interested in them.

You are too self-absorbed

When going through depression, the person may be so focused on their condition that they can feel like others are never paying enough attention. This can cause them to take actions without considering how it can affect other people, not even their partners, causing them to begin affairs.

Self-destructive tendencies

People that are depressed can have so many negative thoughts, that they can pay more attention to those. This is part of a vicious circle depressive people go through. They say the world only gives them negative things, but they keep putting themselves in situations that tend to maintain things in a negative pattern.

When they are in a relationship, they can sabotage the relationship by going into an affair. This can be a way for them to prove to themselves how negative and toxic they can be.

Sex can make them feel good

When a person is depressed, there are very few things that can make them feel good. They will lose interest in everything, and experiencing something positive is almost impossible. But through sex, and especially through orgasm, they can experience an infamous moment of relief from the constant negativity they are in.

You feel disconnected from your partner

Depression makes you isolated from others, and the low levels of oxytocin and dopamine that happens when you are depressed can make you feel disconnected from your partner. This can lead them to look for an affair even in a misguided way to look for some closeness with their partner.

You lost perspective on what is important

Normally, when you are part of a solid relationship, you may start to build ideas of the future you want to have together. But when depression hits, all of those plans may lose their value. You don’t feel like that is still possible, and you can lose sight of all you have invested in this relationship.

This may lead you to be more susceptible to an affair. You may, without even realizing it, allow others to get too close, and at some point, you may end up cheating on your partner.

Putting yourself through risky behavior

People with depression, and even more commonly men, can put themselves through risky behaviors when they are depressed. They may see it as a chance to go through something exciting. And in those cases, the more dangerous the affair, the better.

You view reality differently

Depression also makes people more irritable. And this can damage their relationships. They may start to think that having an affair is a way to pay back something bad their partner has done. This can also be related to how hopeless they feel, and how they perceive things won’t get better.

Change in their libido

While depressed people can sense their libido is changed. That can also happen when they are taking antidepressants. This can happen especially with women. And they might look for other people to have sexual intercourse with to show themselves they can still feel sexual desire.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): What is the connection between cheating and depression?

What are the forms of depression?

Depression has many forms, it can happen in mild, moderate, major, and persistent forms. In all of them, the person will experience the common symptoms of depression, but the intensity of them, and how long they will last will change from one form to the other.

In a mild depressive episode, the person will experience the symptoms in a mild form, and it usually goes on for a few weeks. This is the hardest form of depression to diagnose because it doesn’t have a lot of impact on the person’s life.

To cope with mild depression, it is usually necessary for the person to change some lifestyle habits. In moderate depression, people can feel the depressive symptoms more intensely, and they go on for a longer period. In this form, the person will experience it more intensely, and it can have an impact on their lives.

Some people may handle moderate depression only through therapy, but others might also need medication. In major depression, the person will experience the depressive symptoms intensely, and for a few months.

They can also come to develop other symptoms, for example, they may become delusional, have hallucinations, and even psychotic symptoms. In major depression, the person may have trouble even maintaining the simplest routine, and even getting out of bed may be impossible at times.

To treat major depression, the person usually needs to look for a psychiatrist and a therapist. The associated work of both professionals will allow them to not only reduce the symptoms of depression but also get a better handle on their emotions.

A persistent depression that can go on for 5 years. In it, the person can swing from mild depression and major depression. Through that, they need to be cared for by mental health professionals to learn how to handle the change in their state.

Does depression have a cure?

No, depression doesn’t have a cure. Rather than that, mental health professionals say that depression goes into remission. It is impossible to say that a person that has experienced depression won’t go through it again. That is because depression has a genetic factor to it, which is impossible to change with treatment.

And although this may seem discouraging to people with depression, know that once you go into remission, you will be able to feel joy and regain interest in things. Aside from that, your symptoms of depression won’t be present anymore.

What is important to keep in mind is that, when depression goes into remission, you should keep caring for yourself. This includes not only caring for your body but also your mental health.

What depression does do to my libido?

Depression affects many aspects of your life. It can cause you to lose interest in everything, even what you loved. This can mean you may not be so interested in your partner, and even sex itself.

Aside from that, when you are treating your depression, you may take some antidepressants. And these can also impact your libido. It can make you less interested in it, and sometimes even have trouble having intercourse.

What are ways to treat depression?

Depression is usually treated by a combination of therapy and medication. That is usually prescribed by a psychiatrist, a doctor that specializes in mental health.

Through medication, you may feel your symptoms of depression improve, and in therapy, you will learn how to navigate your emotions better, and maybe even learn the root of your depression.

Aside from that, there are a lot of things you can do to improve your mood. You may use exercise as a way to help you deal with the lack of energy, and it can also improve your sleep. Eating well is also important to handle the fatigue that depression can bring you.

Having a network of friends and loved ones is also extremely important. Not only because you will have their support, and can vent with them about how you feel. But having those happy moments, even if brief ones, can improve your mood aside from that, listening to the good things that they have to say about you, can be encouraging.

Breathing exercises and meditation can also be very important when dealing with depression, to get you out of that pattern of negative thinking and center yourself.

How can I help my partner who is depressed?

The first thing you can do is be supportive. Stay open to talking about what they are feeling. Know that this is a difficult role. That you shouldn’t try to find a solution, but rather listen and offer support. What is possible to do, is talk to them about the possibility of looking for treatment if they are not in one.

You may also offer help with practical matters such as helping them get some food, organize the house, and even manage their activities.

Conclusion

This article discusses the link between depression and cheating on a partner. For that, the article showed what depression is, and why some symptoms of depression can make people more susceptible to cheating.

If you have any questions or comments about this article, feel free to write them in the section below.

References

Are People With Depression More Likely to Cheat in a Relationship?

https://www.yourtango.com/experts/mitzi-bockmann/depression-and-cheating-reasons-why-people-who-are-depressed-might-be-unfaithful?amp

https://www.bolde.com/11-reasons-people-with-depression-are-more-likely-to-cheat/

What is the connection between cheating and depression?