Besides being morally wrong, cheating is a bad idea for four other reasons. When you cheat you not only put your sexual health at risk but a few other things as well. Read four major reasons why cheating is a bad idea below.
Researchers collected data on 801 individuals—308 who reported being unfaithful to a partner and 493 who were in negotiated nonmonogamous relationships (i.e., people who have an agreement with their partner to engage in sex with others). After questioning the participants in each category about their sex lives, the researchers found that not only do the cheaters have more unsafe sex, but—bonus!—they’re also less likely to get tested for STDs.
Translation: Whether you are the one getting double the action or you’re just her man on the side, both scenarios put you at an increased risk of STDs.
That said, if being at an increased risk doesn’t scare you into keeping it in your pants, the following consequences of cheating may make you want to be faithful for life. Your Penis May Suffer—Literally
You may have realized that cheating on your girlfriend is going to fracture your relationship—but did you know it can also fracture your penis? Recent research published in the journal Sexual Medicine found that guys who have extramarital affairs are more likely to suffer penis fractures than men who don’t stray. The reason? A lot of affairs involve sex acts in odd locations, including bathroom stalls, cars, elevators, and offices. “If you have sex in a weird location or a physically awkward situation where you don’t have total control over your penis, you might not be able to protect it from getting crushed,†says Andrew Kramer, M.D., the study’s lead author and a urologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center. It’s Illegal and Costly
Did you know sexual infidelity to one’s spouse is illegal in 23 states? While those criminal laws remain, you’re not actually going to get thrown in the slammer for sleeping with your coworker (although you may look like a huge d-bag to the rest of the office). Those laws are left over from a bygone era, and no one’s bothered to take them off the books, says John Mayoue—an Atlanta-based divorce attorney who has worked with celebs including Chris Rock, P. Diddy, and Jane Fonda. However, cheating can affect spousal support and, in some states, division of property. How so? Well, look at it this way: If you’re spending money on lavish gifts for your honey on the side, yet failing to provide for your kids, that is relevant in court. It can be used as evidence to prove that you can afford to pay for spousal support but are choosing not to, says Mayoue.
Your Heart Is At Risk
As if getting caught wasn’t bad enough, men who cheat on their wives now have another issue to worry about: sudden death. Research published in the journal Circulation found that out of 5,559 people who died suddenly from heart complications, 75 percent of those who expired during sex were engaging in extramarital activity. What caused their hearts to fail? The researchers hypothesized that in most cases the person was either with a younger partner, in an unfamiliar setting, or may have been engaging in sex after excessive food and alcohol consumption.
