Can marriage survive cheating?

Infidelity is one of the worst things that can happen to a marriage. It destroys the bond, intimacy, and trust in a marriage. Cheating usually happens for two main reasons; the spouse likes/wants multiple partners or tries to fill a void. There is not much that can be done for a marriage with the former unless the spouse wants to change; it is just who they are. The latter situation has hope; a marriage can survive cheating in that situation. The key to a marriage surviving cheating is that both parties work to fix what has been destroyed, the bond, intimacy, and trust in the marriage. 

BOND

The bond is the attachment that develops between a couple. The bond comes from the affection the couple has for one another, and it gives the feelings of understanding, safety, support, and most importantly, love. After cheating, the cheatee feels as though they no longer understand their spouse, they no longer feel safe to be vulnerable with their spouse, they feel as though they lost their spouse's support, and they feel like they have lost their love. The bond has been damaged and must be mended and restored for the marriage to survive the cheating. 

INTIMACY

Intimacy means many things, but for a marriage dealing with infidelity, it refers to sexual intercourse. Often, cheating is a result of a lack of intimacy in the marriage. Cheating can also be the cause of the lack of intimacy. It can be tough to be intimate with someone knowing they were intimate with someone else. The constant thoughts and images racing through the brain can literally cause the body to stop functioning sexually. Intimacy is a significant component of marriage, and without it, the marriage can suffer. To survive cheating, intimacy has to play a role in the marriage.

TRUST

In a marriage, each spouse has the belief that the other person is reliable and honest. Cheating sends the opposite message; it says that the other person is not honest and not worthy of being trusted. Once the trust is broken in the marriage, it can be a challenge to rebuild it. The cheater will have to work hard to re-earn the trust and be very transparent for an extended period of time. However, the cheatee has to decide to forgive the marriage to survive the cheating as well. 

HELP

A marriage can survive cheating, but professional help will make the journey a little easier. It is highly recommended to work with a professional therapist that specializes in marriage counseling. It will be a long road, but it will be worth it.