Do Cheaters Cheat Again? 10 Signs They Can Cheat Again

Is the phrase “once a cheater always a cheater” true? This phrase has been used from time to time to suggest the possibilities of serial cheaters’ existence. 

But do cheaters cheat again after having an affair in the past? 

For couples trying to rebuild their relationship after infidelity, it can be a difficult path towards healing. 

Giving cheaters a second chance and working everything together can be marred by insecurities, mistrust, and the painful past of infidelity.

With the possibility of cheating again still at play, you become vigilant about the signs of a cheating partner. 

It also becomes hard to trust a partner with an infidelity past in your new relationship. But do such partners cheat again? 

“Once a cheater, always a cheater” may be false. This phrase underestimates a person’s ability to change after infidelity. Some people have changed to become better partners after committing infidelity, and others have learned the lessons and turned out to be better people in their next relationships.

Unfortunately, some cheaters still find themselves cheating their partners, even after the previous incident.

Signs That Cheaters Cheat Again

Watch out for these signs that may suggest your partner may be a serial cheater.

The past predicts the future

Any relationship healing from infidelity always tries to find out the cause in the first place. Even after healing and you find out that your relationship is still going through the same experiences and emotions that led to cheating, you may want to be vigilant.

If your partner loses their focus again and does not care about building the relationship, they may find it hard to be committed again.

Your partner’s relationship history

Some people have a history of moving from one relationship right into another within a very short time after their breakup. They do not even mind healing. This could be a red flag if you are in a new relationship with such a person.

Such partners do so for fear of being alone, and when they find someone they think is better and like them, nothing, even their relationship, will stop them from cheating. 

This pattern can repeat itself as long as they keep moving from one partner to another. 

Unwillingness to heal

If your partner is willing to work and rebuild your relationship together, take the responsibility, change, and manage the afterworks, they may not cheat again. But if they do not show any sign of concern, their lies continue, and they do not invest much into healing, they may cheat again for having little remorse about their actions.

Blames you for cheating

An unfaithful partner who blames you for cheating in the past will not likely change and may cheat again in the future. Such partners may also blame outside temptations for their straying behavior. 

If your partner cannot take full ownership without blaming you or any other external force, they may still be vulnerable to cheating in the future.

They do not feel guilty

If your partner is not remorseful about the pain they caused you for cheating, they may not likely change. Feelings of guilt always motivate change.

Even by the thought of cheating again, a guilty partner who cheated knows how it may hurt you. They recognize the consequences of cheating from their past actions and try to change for the better. 

They cannot reassure you of their behavior

After your partner cheats, it is their responsibility to create a healing space for the relationship. It is their responsibility to assure you by their acts that they have changed and are willing to make things work again in the relationship. But if this is not the case, there may be possibilities of them straying again in the future.

A partner who may not cheat again will always reassure you verbally of their willingness to change and will still work to earn your trust once again.

If they cannot give you this verbal reassurance, it may be a red flag.

They are not patient with your healing process

Healing after infidelity takes time. A partner who cheated on you must always understand what you went through because of their cheating behavior and give you time and space to heal.

A changed partner will acknowledge and be kind of the process and make efforts to save your relationship.

If you notice that your partner does not show compassion for your healing process and blames you for playing the victim, they may be trying to divert their responsibility and the needed change.

Gaslighting

A serial cheater will most probably have a gaslighting behavior. When you try to question them about anything, they turn their rage and anger back to you and dismiss your concerns right away.

This is a strategy to divert their responsibilities and avoid the blame and feelings of guilt. Gaslighting could also sign that they are already having another affair; this is why they do not want to face and answer your questions.

If they disrespect the resolutions

It is only natural to make resolutions and set boundaries after your partner has cheated. Resolutions help in the healing process of a relationship as they tend to help you avoid previous acts that led to infidelity.

If your partner seems not to respect the resolutions, they may have issues committing themselves back in the relationship.

If your partner breaks the set boundaries and repeats the exact mistakes that led to their straying behavior in the past, it may be the beginning of another cheating incident.

They keep on flirting

Regardless of what qualifies as cheating in your relationship, flirting always leads to sexual encounters. 

Although your relationship can term flirting as not an act of cheating, it can eventually lead to it. If your partner still flirts with other people after infidelity, there may be a reason behind it. It is the foundation of many infidelity cases that have been reported. 

Conclusion

Cheaters cheat again if they show these ten signs in their relationship. However, if they are giving much effort and are working to rebuild their relationship and earn back their trust, they may have changed and most likely will not cheat again. Always be on the lookout for these signs if you want to know whether your partner is vulnerable to cheating.