10 Ways to Help You Quit Overthinking After Been Cheated On

The agony of being cheated on can leave you feeling hurt, betrayed, and insecure. Even months after it all happened, it’s normal to review the events in your thoughts and attempt to understand what transpired. On the other side, after being cheated on, trying to quit overanalyzing can spiral out of control. This is due to the fact that as soon as you start thinking, you’ll realize the harm it does to your health and resolve never to go there again.

A few hours later, your mind starts to race once more. While you struggle to overcome your feelings of depression as a result of being cheated on, this eventually leads to increased mental discomfort. As if dealing with betrayal wasn’t difficult enough, you now have to cope with other problems including a paralyzing fear and the difficulty to let go of the heartache.

How to Quit Overthinking After Been Cheated On

Nonetheless, there are several efficient ways to stop self-harm brought on by worry following infidelity. We’ve compiled a collection of potent advice in this post on how to avoid second-guessing yourself after being duped. You can also find some advice in this section on how to go on after being betrayed.

Why do you second-guess yourself after being cheated?

Here’s a startling truth. In the UK, 35% of people claim to have cheated on their loved one at some point. But, these figures are not unique to the nation as infidelity continues to rock the boats of happy and healthy relationships everywhere in the world.

Being cheated on may drastically alter your life—and not in a good way—by making you question your judgment and making it difficult to trust people in the future. Also, you can experience a sudden concentration on deciphering the details of that act of infidelity.

What follows is the question, “Are they finer than I am?” “Do they improve my partner’s mood more than they do mine?” Do I even merit the trouble? Being cheated on might also make you wonder if the entire relationship was based on honesty and trust. Moving forward, this can make you over-examine every contact you have with your spouse, searching for clues you may have missed or overlooked.

Anxiety is a normal reaction to being cheated on. It would be beneficial if you were able to cope, recover, and eventually move on in healthy ways. Being cheated on can cause you to overthink since it can make you doubt your ability to maintain a monogamous relationship.

Suggestion for read: How to Quit Worrying After your partner cheated on you

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk about how to avoid second-guessing yourself after being cheated on.

10 strategies to avoid second-guessing yourself after being cheated

Do you find it really difficult to move on after being cheated on? Here are 10 actions you may take now.

1. Engage in self-care

When you feel anxious after being betrayed, self-care may be the furthest thing from your thoughts. But ending the cycle of overthinking requires practicing self-care.

How so? It enables you to take a break and enjoy the present. It also renews your energy, clears your mind, and makes solving your problems simpler. How can you look after yourself?

There are many ways to practice self-care, such as going to counseling, engaging in mindfulness exercises, playing games, and so on. Spend more time with those who actually care about you as well. Even while it might not seem like self-care, this is helpful when you are going through difficult times.

2. Let yourself to feel your feelings

According to studies, infidelity damages relationships by undermining trust, upsetting the victim emotionally, and maybe leading to some mental health issues that require quick attention. It’s acceptable to feel like a complete wreck after being duped. Stop killing yourself because you can’t pretend like nothing happened.

Recognize your sentiments after being cheated on and fight the urge to repress them. You’ll experience bitterness, grief, and/or fury. Avoid repressing or ignoring them because doing so may encourage further overthinking. Also, this time of reflection enables you to become aware of and improve your weaknesses.

3. You are not to blame

Keep in mind that your partner made the decision to cheat, and it is all their fault. They might be able to justify and defend their conduct. They might even attempt to blame you for the situation, but never lose sight of the fact that they had a choice. They have the option of cheating or not. They decided on the former. Remember this while you work out how to quit second-guessing yourself after being duped. You are not to blame.

4. Surround yourself with positive individuals

You need to surround yourself with excellent individuals who understand your emotions and aren’t interested in guilt-tripping you as you learn how to stop overthinking after being cheated on. Make lasting connections with people who have always stood by you, who will hear you out on all the details, and who will be there for you no matter what. If you have a network of friends and family to lean on, you’ll do better.

5. Take the necessary steps

After being cheated on, it can be challenging to avoid overanalyzing, and the worst part is that you might start worrying about things that are beyond of your control. Fussing over things that are beyond of your control has no positive impact, so it is a waste of time and valuable emotions. But, it doesn’t follow that you have no options.

For instance, the fact that your boyfriend cheated on you cannot be changed. Your relationship’s success is not something you can influence. You also have no control over whether your lover will cheat on you once more.

There is a lot of potential for self-doubt given these uncertainties. Consider what you can alter rather than what you cannot change. For instance, you have power over how you respond to the circumstance. Think about it instead. After that, accept the things you can’t control.

6. Take care of your appearance

Did you know that exercise can enhance your mood, reduce stress, and promote sleep? Exercise sessions are a fantastic stress reliever (even if only for a few minutes). Also, being physically fit can boost your self-esteem, increase your confidence, and enable you to think more clearly while facing obstacles.

Whether you want to feel better, get fitter, or stronger, an exercise regimen can help you deal with the stress in your life. But, research suggests that you ultimately attract a spouse who is similar to you. Thus, if you want to improve your chances of finding a beautiful mate once more, think about joining a gym. Try yoga and other mindful exercises while you’re at it to help relax your body and cleanse your mind.

7. Refrain from acting in fear

When it comes to moving on after being cheated on, there is no right or wrong choice; you must follow your heart’s intuition. Don’t allow fear influence your decision. The fear of being alone or leaving someone you care about should never be a reason to stay with someone. After all, a legitimate part of you still worries that they’ll hurt you again. Give yourself as much time as necessary to decide what is best for you.

8. Modify your current setting

Sometimes the best way to quit overanalyzing after being cheated on is to alter your environment. So how do you handle being cheated? It could be necessary for you to spend more time outside of your shared residence and to put some space between you and your partner or any other individuals who provoke you. Your environment has an impact on your thoughts, feelings, and actions. So, you may modify your ideas and feelings by changing your environment.

9. Have some rest

It’s tempting to use social media research to put your FBI talents to the test. But refrain from doing it because doing so would simply make any existing anxiety and despair worse. Instead, give everything a rest. Take a break from the relationship and from social media. Leave the shared residence and spend some time alone. Even if you are aware that you are not, you do not need to demonstrate to the cheating partner that you are still living your best life.

10. Establish limits

A narcissist will undoubtedly attempt to use the victim mentality to manipulate you into giving them another chance. They can attempt to gaslight you into acting as if nothing happened after they’ve cheated on you. Do not be fooled by that. Set boundaries clearly instead. Boundaries in this context refer to everything you convey, including when and how people can contact you. It’s simple to quit overanalyzing after being cheated on by setting limits to safeguard your mental wellbeing.

Suggestion for read: Marriage, is it the right decision?

Several frequently asked questions

Are you having trouble learning how to stop overanalyzing after being cheated on? Some of the most often asked questions on this subject have been compiled, along with useful, clear responses.

Is there ever any relief from the hurt of being betrayed? After some time, it is possible to recover from infidelity and go on. Yet it requires time and deliberate work.

You can analyze your feelings and fix underlying trust difficulties by going to therapy or getting assistance from friends and family. Remember that the process of healing involves ups and downs. So, the straightforward response to the question is “yes, it is feasible.” It will, however, take time and persistent work. Why do people cheat the people they care about?

There are several reasons why people cheat on their partners, such as unhappiness or insecurity in the relationship, a want for novelty or excitement, or a lack of self-control. Moreover, cheating may be a sign of more severe problems including trauma, addiction, or mental health problems.

While annoying, infidelity is not usually a sign of unrequited love. People need to take ownership of their behavior and deal with underlying problems. Future instances of infidelity can be avoided and your relationship can be strengthened by open communication, honesty, and cooperation.

Final thoughts

Cheating on a loved one is a challenging problem with a wide range of potential causes. That doesn’t necessarily imply that a relationship’s love is completely gone. That also doesn’t imply that you have to continue dating a dishonest person. You must make that call. Using the tips we’ve discussed in this post, you can learn how to stop overthinking though after being duped. Consider couples therapy while you’re at it to help you determine what went wrong and what needs to be done to solve it.

Inquire Talk certified therapists who you can get in touch and book a therapy session with:

Sarah Jack

Nicola Keenan

Jennifer Campbell Kirk