Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Controlling your initial reaction
• Method 2 of 3: Confront your girlfriend
• Method 3 of 3: Work on it together
• Tips

Being in a relationship means taking a risk by opening up to someone. That feeling of vulnerability can be damaged by a partner's cheating. It can be extremely difficult to deal with when your girlfriend cheated on you. The sensitive situation must be treated with respect for yourself and the relationship in order to come out undamaged or stronger.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Controlling your initial reaction

1. Stay as calm as possible. You can be overwhelmed with emotions of anger or sadness. Giving in to these emotions can lead to a bad reaction. Do your best to give yourself some time to think and get straight. It is often good to talk about your thoughts and feelings with a friend, or even a therapist. To relieve stress and distract yourself, take a recreational activity or spend time with friends and family.
2. Don't blame yourself for this. A relationship should come from both sides. Both individuals are responsible for actions and communications that make the relationship work. However, if your girlfriend cheated on you, don't blame yourself. You never have control over its actions, but you can control your own thoughts about it. Don't think for a moment that it might be your fault somewhere.
3. Think positively about yourself. Many thoughts and scenarios will run through your mind as you learn the discouraging truth. Often men have their pride hurt or they think about their reputation. While it won't be easy, you can rest assured that a relationship shouldn't be built on what a person has contributed to your reputation. Also, her actions shouldn't destroy your self-image, so avoid thinking that you not good enough are. Don't put yourself down.
4. Talk to someone. Do not shut yourself off from others during this time. Realize that people around you can help you. Bottling up anger or doubt can be too much, so find a family member or friend that you can safely talk to about your situation. A therapist can also be a good choice - a therapist is both professional and unbiased.

Method 2 of 3: Confront your girlfriend

1. Collect any kind of evidence. Something has made you suspect that your girlfriend might have cheated on you, and a hunch is just that. Ask friends and pay attention to your girlfriend's behavior. Keep an eye on what's going on. Falsely accusing will result in relationship problems.
2. Make sure your relationship is clear. Times have changed and some people accept open relationships. If your relationship was just starting out, she might not consider it cheating. Think about your history together and be open to her perspective if there is a misunderstanding about the relationship. People should choose the relationship model that best suits them.
3. Confront her with the issue in a personal and private conversation. To find out if she is cheating on you, you need to speak to her in person. It won't be easy, but it is very important. Be confident in your questions and let her speak. Ask her something like: What went wrong with our relationship? Has this been going on for some time? How could this have come to this in the first place? Listening to each other is very important to find out which way the relationship will go.
   • Just talking about it once may not be enough. Keep in mind that you have to talk about this several times.
   • Stay focused on talking about what happened, your feelings, and her perspective on what happened. Avoid making allegations on this point as it will end the conversation.
4. Prepare for denial. If you've obtained your hard evidence and plan to raise her fraud without warning, she won't be suspicious of it. Chances are that she will deny it. Have your questions ready along with your proof. Ask her for an explanation of the specific days when the incidents occurred. She may take some time to admit it, especially if she is still cheating on you or seeing the other person. Bring that up too. In either case, don't confront her until you've prepared the best you can.
5. Leave the other person out. The problem between you and your girlfriend should be the focus. Realize that the root of the problem stems from your girlfriend and her actions. The other person shouldn't be involved or confronted - that can only lead to more problems.
6. Decide to stay with her or move on without her. After the emotions settle down, you need to focus on yourself and your next decision. It won't be easy to make a choice - whether you decide to stay with her and come to terms with the cheating or leave her. Choose the option that hurts the least and is likely to provide you with a brighter future.

Method 3 of 3: Work on it together

1. Accept an apology. The relationship will not continue without an apology. If she hasn't apologized to you, ask her. It may be hard to tell if the apology is genuine, but ask your girlfriend to come to terms with everything that happened. When the time is right, your acceptance will be the beginning of the relationship's recovery.
   • Remember, this may not be the end of the matter. Even if she seems genuinely sorry, your relationship will likely require a lot of work that will require both of you to work together.
2. Address trust issues. If you decide to come to terms with the cheating and stay in the relationship, you will need to talk about trust. The pain that has occurred will drive a huge wedge between you, but deciding to be together means eventually repairing the existing bond. Communicate with each other and indicate which changes should take place in the relationship.
   • Avoid robbing each other of privacy (i.e. checking cell phones, demanding social media passwords) - there must be free will within the relationship to stay together.
3. Understand forgiveness. Being betrayed by someone you care about can leave you with a lot of anger. It is likely that the memory of cheating will linger for a long time. That feeling of anger needs to be replaced with forgiveness, which in this case means releasing the anger in the hope of happiness. It will take time to mend your relationship, and the patience for it will come easier when you eventually forgive her.
4. Discuss your future together. A new relationship has to be built. It's up to you and her to look beyond cheating. Stay true to your decision. Help each other by looking for a new and better relationship.
5. Leave it behind. Don't dwell on the past. If you want the relationship to work, don't take any disagreement as an opportunity to bring up the mistake she made. Your decision to stay with her should be driven by better communication and forward thinking.
6. Talk to a therapist if necessary. Discussing issues with her can be difficult. Even though you are on your way to a brighter future, a mistake like cheating can be too big for you to handle alone. Seek a professional therapist or relationship counselor if you feel like things are sticking. Do not force your girlfriend to see a therapist as well, but invite her on the basis of its importance to your relationship.

Tips

• Always stay calm regardless of the outcome.
• Don't be mean.
• Be patient and accept the good times and the bad. Things don't always go the way you want them to.