I'm dating someone who has been cheated on. What should I do?
306 Answers
Last Updated: 04/26/2022 at 3:52pm
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Top Rated Answers
Anonymous
May 25th, 2017 7:02am
It can be hard dating someone who has experienced something as difficult as cheating. They may feel extra jealous at times, or as though you may pack up and leave for someone "better". If you haven't done so already talking to them and giving reassurance may be something to try. Asking them what they think can help the both of you is a good way to go as well. They may find it easier to talk about if you start the conversation first. Good luck. :)
Try to be sensitive to their experience and be a loyal and faithful person. Sometimes a person who's been cheated on may need a little extra love and care, If you are able to provide that for them you should.
Anonymous
June 14th, 2017 7:25pm
If you're dating someone who has been cheated on before you should make sure that this person can trust you. you need to protect them from getting scared or nervous that you might do the same. Be extra loving and careful with them... and don't cheat on them and avoid lying to them.
Dating someone who has been cheated on in the past may mean that they find it hard to trust. Take time giving that love and respect so they can open up and trust once more. Telling them once and a while how much you love them or how much they mean to you can be very reassuring.
You should continue this relationship grow slowly - you don't want to make this person hurt even more than he or she is right now.
Show them that you would never do that to them, that they're never going to have to go through that again and reminding them how much you love and care for them.
I got 2 words for you. Transparency and tolerance.
Sacrifice a bit of your privacy like by disclosing your phone password or being at ease of she/he is using your phone and by intentionally giving her an opportunity​ to check your phone. He or she will trust you more which is a good start.
Be prepared to be speculated and be okay with his or her questions.
Listen to how that experience affected them. Just listen. Then I try to assure them that I would never intentionally hurt someone else
Make them be sure that you are not like the people he/she has dated in the past, that you are kind and supportive and that you are very trustworthy. Make him/her feel special and loved.
Anonymous
July 8th, 2017 6:44pm
You should make sure he or she knows that you love him or her and that that person has nothing to worry about
When in that situation don't try and show them that your different from their ex with words it's better to prove it with actions because that way they know your sincere. Secondly don't make yourself seem like the hero because that puts you on a pedestal that is impossible to stay on top of. Make sure that you both are happy in the relationship and that it is healthy.
Don't dismiss their insecurities, listen and reassure them. Important note: Being compassionate and reassuring doesn't mean that you should put up with possessiveness. K
now where to draw the line!
The first thing you want to pay attention to is the trust element. He/she has been cheated on. It will hurt his/her trust to their significant other. They will think that there's always a possibility that they will be cheated on again. You have to gain his/her trust. Try to be as transparent as you can with them, don't try to hide anything from them. Always be mindful to have a good communication with him/her.
Anonymous
July 21st, 2017 11:10am
You should be loyal towards your new partner and try to understand what they have been through. The worst thing you could do is cheat on them.
Show this person you care and love them or care about them. They have been hurt and the past show them you are actually there for them and not there to do the same thing as the person in their past relationship. If you feel that you might cheat on them do them the kind favor and tell them or maybe stay single until you're ready to commit.
Just treat them with love and support :) It might help to reassure them that you're not going to cheat and to allow them to talk to you about their concerns if they need to :)
Anonymous
August 11th, 2017 7:18am
You should help them find ways to trust you and make them open up to you and talk about what you can do together to make the relationship open and better for you both.
Recongize and understand that they are going to have some serious walls put up. Respect their boundaries and comfort zones, and take it easy! Having your heart hurt and broken is a tough thing, considering humans were made to love one another and give it their all. Be sympathetic and empathetic and be patient. Their biggest fear is most likely that you're going to leave.
Be honest and careful and understanding when they feel insecure and jealous without it being to intense
Anonymous
August 18th, 2017 9:39am
Just be honest and be truthful with the relationship. This person has been through a traumatic time, by showing you are trustworthy and loving, you can rebuild the person's trust.
Anonymous
August 19th, 2017 6:08am
Show them that you are different, but also remember your self-worth. You are not their previous partner.
As someone who was previously dating a serial cheater, I think patience is a strength that you will need. You will need to build trust with the person. From someone that has been cheated on before... a break in trust will open the floodgates to so much emotion. In my experience, even if there is a minor break in trust, I question if I want to continue the relationship at all, because I know I won't be able to handle the anxiety and 'what ifs'. Communication is so important. Your partner doesn't need to know your EVERY move (this is definitely unhealthy), but saying your are going to bed when you really are going out with your pals is a really bad idea. I got so good at spotting lies in my previous partner, that I can almost immediately tell when my current partner is lying. Although he has never cheated on me and I doubt he would, even white lies (for me) trigger those horrible feelings of being cheated on. However, you also need to let them know that you need space. Considering the fact that you are dating them, you should be empathetic of their feelings and emotions. However, ultimately, your partner is responsible for working to get these under control. I had a bad habit of wanting answers NOW, or a response to my text NOW, of needing 'to have a talk' NOW. I would say that the best counter to this is to let them know a date when you will be able to talk. Give them that reassurance. Or, if your will be away from your phone for a while, let them know. Small considerations like that can go a long way.
Communication is a big factor in a relationship! It is important that you build trust with your partner, and talk to them about your worries or concerns
Try your best to earn their trust. It will take them a while but be patients and they'll come around
Anonymous
September 21st, 2017 4:03pm
The best thing to do when you are dating someone who has been cheated on is to assure him/her that you won't do that to him/her. Not every person is the same and you just have to tell him/her to trust you and to believe that you are not capable of cheating on him/her just like what his/her previous partner did.
Tell them you love them everyday and night and let them know you will never be like their ex. Their ex lost someone who would've been their world but know their yours.
Show them that you are not going to cheat. It will take time to build up their trust but if you stick with them and be patient and show them that you are trustworthy, they will start to trust you. try and show them empathy, tell them how you would feel if it was you in their situation. Its not easy to trust when you have been let down in the past.
Try to make the person feel more comfortable by reassuring them a lot about your relationship and feelings. Don't give up on them when they're giving you a tough time because they may have trust issues from previous experience. Have tons of patience and take things slowly for them. (:
The psychological trauma that a person endures after being cheated on is one of the most emotionally damaging things that a person can go through. Give them patience, give them reassurance. When they ask questions, it's not because they don't trust you, they've been hurt before and that these are the things they need to know in order to keep them from overthinking and reverting back into their depressive state. They probably are going to get jealous, have low self-esteem and are quite afraid. And again, this isn't an indication that they don't trust you, they just need your reassurance and patience.
The best thing you can do is to reassure them that you won't be like the last person. If they've been cheated on before then they're bound to have their doubts. Reassurance from you is one of the most important things they'll need in this relationship.
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