Does revenge cheating help a relationship?

Everyone has a good side and a hidden bad side regardless of how amazing of a person you are. For some a trigger like being cheated on can instantly bring out that monster within, and that's when they start doing things out of their character.

We have seen stories of how people spray-painted their ex's car with the word 'cheater' in all caps and there's even others who sabotaged their cheating partner's career completely. Some might also choose more discreet ways like cheating back as a way of teaching their partner a hard lesson.

To understand the complexity of revenge cheating, let us have a look at the possible outcomes.

It rarely leads to reconciliation

Revenge cheating is tied to so many complex emotions. People plan to hurt their partner back so that they can know how it feels to be betrayed but, they also don't always intend to exit the relationship.

The assumption, when you're in such an emotional state, is that your partner will fully understand your seemingly justifiable actions. But the truth is that this move often squashes any possibility of getting back together if that's what you hoped for.

If you reconcile, it adds to the issues you already have

In some cases, reconciliation is possible. But before things get back to how they used to be, you will have to go through a long process of forgiveness and healing.

The fact that your partner cheated in the first place shows that there were some deep rooted problems already.

Now on top of that, you have to address why you did what you did, who you cheated with and why you cheated with that particular person. It basically extends that time you would have taken to heal as a couple.

You'll have to deal with the regrets

In revenge cheating, sex is often involved. This can be with a friend, an ex or even a one-night stand situation.

When the rage settles and you finally come to your senses, you'll face the fact that you offered your body to someone else at a throw away price. You might even resent yourself and this can severely damage your self-worth.

It doesn't prevent more cheating

There is nothing you can do to prevent a cheater from doing it again. If they don't care to change, they will continue doing what they've been doing all along even if you decide to retaliate a hundred times.

Revenge cheating will affect them but primarily, this is your personal decision that comes with major personal consequences.

The resentment might never end

After cheating has happened on both sides, it becomes hard to fully heal those wounds. You might reach a point where things are generally okay but there will always be memories of that thing that happened.

That residual resentment usually rears its head during heated arguments. Your partner might remind you that you cheated with so-and-so, and eventually, you'll realize that walking away was better.