Heartbreak is tangible
Being cheated on isn't only a huge betrayal of trust and knock on your confidence but, anyone who has gone through it (even celebrities who have spoken about it before) knows that it's a pretty traumatic ordeal to go through. And, the constant paranoia of wondering why a partner is likely to cheat on you is a lot to deal with.
Not only does it change you, change how you view relationships and change your ability to trust, it actually has physical affects on you, too.
The University of Nevada hosted a study to see how being cheated on impacts people differently and found that mental health consequences and 'risky behaviours' are likely to affect those who experience a high volume of psychological distress when they find out. Such behaviours can include developing an eating disorder, over-exercising obsessively or drinking or taking drugs to escape the reality.
And, if the party who was cheated on blamed themselves, this also contributed to a higher level of this kind of activity. A partner who relinquished responsibility and only blamed the cheating party were less likely to engage in high-risk actions but was still likely to feel emotionally distressed if they were a woman. Why? Because women apparently see their relationship as a huge source of their own self and identity.
As well as playing havoc on our mental health, going through an experience like this will also affect you physically. Insomnia, lack of appetite (the supposed 'break-up diet' is a reaction to stress) and tension in your body are all common reactions to do with stress and to do with wanting to feel more in control.
The breakdown of a relationship is never easy, especially when there are external factors involved but the thing to never forget is that we can't control other people's actions, only our own so you need to always treat yourself the best you can.
