The need to escape, attraction to power and sexual addiction are just some of the motivations that lead spouses to cheat on their better half, as suggested in a new study by the Andrological Institute of Athens.

The study analysed the typology of infidelity in Greece by interviewing 350 couples and revealed what led Greek women and men to seek new adventures outside their marriage.
One of the more interesting facts that emerged, which challenged popular preconceptions, was that cheating was not a decisive factor in couples breaking up.

The findings showed that infidelity was, in fact, an “offence” the partner on the receiving end was willing to forgive. “It was not considered as a reason for separation,” Dr. Konstantinos Konstantinidis, President of the Andrological Institute of Athens said.
The data showed that only 2% of those cases of infidelity led to permanent break-ups, something which was true across all age groups or social stratification.

Three factors that were highlighted as particularly significant in couples breaking up were the lack of intimacy with each other for fear of being rejected; embarrassment, stemming from concerns of revealing one’s secrets, and the need to maintain a certain “mystery” to fuel the relationship; and, a gradual decline in the romantic aspect of relationship.

In addition, sexual addiction was also cited as a reason that eventually led to infidelity.
As the study claimed, when one of the partners was a compulsive cheater, their extramarital actions were a manifestation of deeply-rooted yearning to boost their low self-esteem and satisfy their lust through the thrill of a new conquest outside their marriage.