11 Signs That You Are Falling Out Of Love After Infidelity (2023)

When love starts to fade, it’s not always obvious at first. The change can be gradual – a slow erosion of the feelings and shared dreams that once bound you together.

However, there are some key signs that your emotional attachments are coming undone in the aftermath of cheating.

1. You’ve lost admiration for them.

Once, you admired their strengths and character, but now those rosy illusions are shattered. You can’t respect how they justified the cheating to themselves. The qualities that once made you proud to be with them – honor, integrity, compassion – seem tarnished beyond repair.

Discovering their capacity for deceit likely uncovered other unflattering traits as well – selfishness, callousness, and dishonesty. They now seem critically lacking in the virtues you believed defined them. It’s hard to let go of people and qualities you once idealized. But the damage is done;  you cannot unsee their flaws or regain the admiration lost.

2. Conversations feel forced.

Talking used to feel easy and flow naturally, but now, every interaction feels stilted. Without the mutual affection driving engagement, conversations become an effort. You no longer have inside jokes or understand each other’s references like before.

Even everyday check-ins feel scripted and performative. There’s a guardedness – you’re fearful of revealing too much. The openness to be vulnerable or silly is gone. No longer attuned to each other’s quirks and communication styles, conversations stay surface-level and transactional.

3. You don’t feel motivated to work through problems.

Previously you believed the relationship was worth fighting for;  now, you’re not so sure. The cheating created new rifts you’re hesitant to repair. Even thinking about the emotional work ahead is exhausting. You’re more inclined just to walk away.

Working through major upheavals requires hope, energy, and commitment from both people. You’re feeling less optimistic that any amount of effort will bridge the fundamental breaches of trust. The sheer scale of pain seems insurmountable. With your heart closed off, you’re unable to access the love and goodwill needed to fuel reconciliation.

4. Physical intimacy isn’t the same.

You don’t have the same longing to be physically close to them. Their touch, once craved, now makes you uncomfortable. Affection or sex feels hollow rather than an expression of love. The trust and vulnerability required for true intimacy are gone.

Physical intimacy relies on deep emotional connection. When your bond is damaged, physical affection loses its meaning. Rather than relaxing into their embrace, you tense up. You avoid initiating or reciprocating affection. Your body’s instincts are protecting you from further hurt.

5. You don’t share interests anymore.

The activities you used to enjoy together held meaning because you shared them. Now your partner’s enthusiasms bore or annoy you. You no longer coordinate schedules or make an effort to participate in their hobbies.

Joint pursuits require enthusiasm from both people. When your respect dims, the hobbies that shape their identity may seem off-putting rather than endearing. You question why you ever found those activities rewarding. No longer willing to feign interest, you withdraw participation. Your differing values are revealed by how you choose to spend time.

6. Keeping distance feels right.

Seeking distance is a classic sign of disconnection. You find yourself wanting solitude from your partner. More time apart seems appealing, while you used to hate separation. Things feel smoother when you aren’t together – out of sight, out of mind.

You start crafting your schedules to have less overlap. Too much time together highlights the strained interactions and lack of easy rapport. Appreciating companionship is replaced by needing more and more alone time. You disconnect further the more you pull away.

7. Your future visions don’t align.

Envisioning a future together once gave you hope and excitement. Now thinking about next week, let alone years from now reveals major fears and incompatibilities. Your dreams and priorities no longer mesh, making a shared path unlikely.

Infidelity can entirely shift your perspective on the long-term potential of the relationship. You may realize your values or life goals no longer align. Envisioning milestones like buying a house or having kids with them now seems impossible, even unwise. The cheating has severed the shared vision that once bound you together.

8. You criticize more than compliment.

Negativity overshadows praise for your partner. You overlook any acts of care or affection while being highly attuned to their faults – both old and new. You interpret their words and actions in the worst light.

Focusing on flaws while ignoring virtues creates an imbalance that erodes affection. You feel justified scrutinizing their behavior after being betrayed. But being unable or unwilling to see any good reflects how much positive regard has diminished. Too much criticism signals you’re trapped in resentment, not actively loving.

9. You feel indifferent rather than angry.

Active anger about the cheating has faded into apathy and ambivalence. You aren’t preoccupied with tormenting questions or volatile emotions. The relationship provokes indifference more than investment.

Intense emotions like anger or grief mean you still care. When even those powerful reactions subside into a shrug, it reflects total disengagement. You aren’t stirred to fight for or end the relationship. Floating along in complacency leaves both parties unsatisfied. But you’re too detached to make a change.

10. Relief comes from separation.

You look forward to the peace of time apart. Traveling solo or having an evening out of the house alone feels freeing rather than lonely, and you welcome the reprieve.

Needing frequent distance is a surefire signal affection is fading. Rather than missing them, you relish the chance to enjoy your own company. Time together feels taxing compared to the lightness of independence. You start creating more opportunities to have the house or apartment to yourself.

11. Your emotional energy is focused elsewhere.

You invest your passion into work, hobbies, family, or new connections, not your partner. They are no longer the priority commanding your emotional energy. Your attention is directed outward, not focused on nurturing the relationship.

When your partner is no longer the primary recipient of your care and affection, it’s a clear sign of disconnection. Emotional resources are limited, as you only have so much to give. When your time, attention, and engagement are channeled away, it leaves the relationship running on empty. Your heart has already moved on.