Cheating dreams are very common. If you’ve had one, don’t be alarmed, they usually mean nothing. However, there is a chance your cheating dream could be trying to tell you something about your relationship. Let’s dive deeper to see what your subconscious may be trying to reveal to you.
1. You aren’t fulfilled in the relationship or your life.
Having a dream about cheating with someone else can indicate your needs aren’t being met in your relationship or your life. Perhaps you want more passion or adventure in the relationship, or maybe in your life, you’re staying in a dead-end job when you want to pursue your dreams and start a business. Lack of fulfillment can make you feel as if you want to cheat on your partner, or like you’re cheating on yourself, and look elsewhere for your needs to be met.
2. You fear the relationship may end.
Feeling abandonment and having relationship anxiety can cause a lot of stress. As a way to process your anxieties and perhaps protect yourself from what you think is inevitable, you have dreams of cheating. It’s a way to prepare yourself for the end of the relationship so you can handle it when/if the time does come.
3. Something is missing in the relationship.
You can’t put your finger on it, but something feels like it’s missing in the relationship. Maybe you don’t have that desire or spark between you two anymore, or you want him/her to treat you in a certain way or possess a certain quality that someone else has. You may try to fulfill this lacking part of the relationship by cheating with someone else.
4. You’re curious.
Being physically adventurous or wanting a little more spice in a relationship is nothing to be ashamed of, we all go through it during our life. Having this type of dream may just indicate you’re curious as to how it would feel to be with someone else. Try not to read into it too much unless they become repetitive dreams.
5. You feel guilty about something in your life.
It’s very common to have cheating dreams if you’re feeling guilty about something else going on in your life. This could be not spending enough time with your spouse, phoning it in at a job, or maybe lying to your friend about something small like not sticking to your diet plan!
6. You’ve cheated before.
If you’ve cheated before on a previous partner, having a cheating dream may mean you’re still feeling guilty about what you did, and possibly anxious about doing it to your current partner. That guilt and concern over whether you can trust yourself is real, but in order to stop the dreams, you have to practice grace and forgiveness with yourself.
7. You feel like you’re hiding something in your life.
Maybe you’re not living up to your truest values or pretending to be someone else. Either way, living life with a secret or secrets will feel like you’re cheating, which can show up later in a cheating dream. You could have compromised on your principles somewhere in your life and are living unfaithfully to yourself. Your dreams don’t know the details, they take this unfaithful feeling and roll with it.
8. There’s emotional neglect.
Emotional needs are just as important as physical needs in a relationship. We want to feel reassured, listened to, and connected to our partners through communication. If there is neglect such as ignoring each other, being distracted, and not making enough time to nurture each other’s emotional sides, this can cause you to look for this fulfillment somewhere else.
9. You might need more physical intimacy.
Fantasies and physical needs are nothing to be ashamed of, sometimes you may have more desire for intimacy than your partner, which can leave you feeling frustrated or confused. Having dreams about cheating on your partner can be a result of this if you feel unfulfilled.
10. You’re attracted to someone else.
You may have a crush on someone other than your partner, and guess what? It’s okay! It’s natural to find other people attractive even when you’re in a relationship, but looks aren’t everything, and it certainly doesn’t mean the grass is greener. These types of dreams are harmless, and it doesn’t mean you don’t love your partner (as long as you choose not to act on them).
11. You don’t trust your partner.
Feelings of distrust in a relationship can cause a lot of damage. These uncertain feelings could cause you to think your partner is being unfaithful or that the relationship is going to end. This, in turn, may cause you to desire other people since you don’t feel like your partner cares anyway.
12. You’re overwhelmed in the relationship.
provided by iStock
Do you fear commitment or are there a lot of new things going on in your life and relationship? You could be overwhelmed. These anxieties surrounding big events like marriage, children, or even moving to a different country can give your body signals you aren’t ready, even if you are and you love that person! Remember: dreams can pick up on tiny subconscious feelings, they don’t always make sense.
13. There are external influences.
This one sounds silly, but you would be surprised at how many external influences like social media or movies can have on our brains and dreams! Maybe you watched a movie about a wife cheating on her husband (or vice versa) that was romanticized or read a steamy book about an affair, hello “Fifty Shades of Grey.”
14. You’re comparing yourself to others
Are you looking at other people’s relationships and thinking they’re better than yours? Maybe your friend has a boyfriend who seems so perfect and possesses all the qualities your other half doesn’t. This could cause you to romanticize this other person, and result in a cheating dream.
15. Your parents cheated on each other.
Childhood trauma is a big deal that spills into our adult lives in ways we might not even be aware of. If one of your parents cheated on the other then you could be worried about doing the same to your partner. You could be acting in ways that remind you of your parent which has triggered these worries.
Enjoy this piece? Give it a like and follow PsychLove on MSN for more!
