Being cheated on is one of the worst feelings in the world. The pain caused by the rejection and the lying can be devastating and life altering. Although this is an awful experience to go through, it turns out that women can actually benefit from being cheated on.
The pain of cheating is made worse when the man starts a new relationship with the woman he was cheating with. It can make the woman who was cheated on feel like a complete loser and like she is inadequate.
Some new research, however, is showing that there are actually some positives that come from losing a cheating partner. If you’ve had your heart broken by a lying partner, there is some light at the end of the tunnel.
A recent study from researchers at Binghamton University found that women who are cheated on actually “win” in the end, even if they feel like losers in the short run. That’s because once a woman gets over the anger and grief that comes from being cheated on, she learns important lessons that actually make her more resilient. The benefits translate to stronger relationships in the future.
The study was done via anonymous surveys of 5,000 people that asked about their attitudes after being cheated on. These people came from all over the world, representing 96 countries and all races, ethnicities, and religions. It turned out that going through this made women better partners in the future and made them less likely to suffer a similar fate again.
When a woman is cheated on, she undergoes a period of deep self-reflection. She also reflects on her mate and the relationship. From this reflection, she’s able to identify certain traits that may have indicated that this person was prone to cheating.
Most women eventually come to realize that no man should make them feel this awful, so they avoid those traits in the future. In other words, women now know what to avoid when picking a new partner. This is called “mating intelligence,” and it’s vital for someone looking for a long-term relationship.
It also has positive effects in other areas of life. When a woman is cheated on, she learns how to reach out for help and she learns that she’s not alone. This can foster interpersonal relationships with other women that can lead to greater personal fulfillment.
The flip side is that the woman who “won” the man actually comes out the loser. She now has a partner who has shown that he’ll lie and deceive his partner and is prone to sleeping around. This woman will ultimately go through the same heartbreak as the original girlfriend. She may see some positive short-term benefits, but in the long run, she’s sure to come out a loser.
Although it’s perfectly natural to go through a period of depression when you’ve suffered infidelity in your relationship, that pain can lead to growth. Use that time for self-reflection and you may find that being cheated on was one of the best things that’s ever happened to you.
