Do cheaters ever feel remorse?

@seabeauty (1480)
United States
March 8, 2009 1:44pm CST
As some of you know, I am Divorced as of December 16th 2008. It was due to my ex husband cheating and falling in love with the other woman. He filed for the divorce. I know he doesn't feel any kind of remorse and is happier now than he was when he was with me. He felt that it was my fault he cheated and he doesn't care what happens to me now. He just wants to get on with his life. I can't say I was the perfect wife but to go out and cheat on me was the worst thing he could do. So do cheaters ever feel bad about their cheating?
5 people like this
18 responses
@Daae92 (75)
• United States
9 May 09
It depends on the person cheating. I felt remorse and guilt for cheating on my girlfriend and I ended up telling her that I had cheated on her. But some cheaters feel no guilt or remorse for cheating. it all depends on the person.
1 person likes this
@seabeauty (1480)
• United States
9 May 09
I am glad that at least you felt somewhat bad about your cheating. Glad you were honest with your girlfriend. My ex didn't. He felt that I was not a good wife to him and so therefore what he did was perfectly acceptable. I never cheated on my husband or took advantage of him. Don't know why he couldn't just file for a separation first and then go out with someone else. Thanks for your honest reply :).
• Singapore
13 Mar 09
Cheaters may feel some remorse when they look back at what they have done (cheating, for whatever reason) and compare it to what their wives have done (not cheating). Depending on the situation, the remorse may be short-lived if they still feel love for the third party involved. I feel that he should not have blamed you for it. He should be blamed in this, for not staying true to the marriage and not working things out with you, if he finds a problem with you; instead of looking for someone else to find comfort in.
@seabeauty (1480)
• United States
9 May 09
He shouldn't have blamed me, I agree. He said I took advantage of him the entire marriage and I was like HUH? What did he mean by that? If anyone took advantage of anyone it was him taking advantage of me because when we went to marriage counseling he told the therapist that he only married me because he wanted children. That really hurt. Our whole marriage was a lie. So my theory is he needed an excuse to blame me for his behavior so he didn't have to feel guilty for sneaking around with another woman. Thanks for replying :).
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
9 Mar 09
Wow!! I sometimes wonder though in a lot of ways how another woman can feel Happy that a man left another woman for them? Especially if he was married to him. Personally I would never have wanted to be in that situation, and feel you are better off without him if he feels that way. It will be his loss in the end not yours. You are probably way better off, and I am sure in time there will be a man that will care for you for you. Personally if I were you I would not want a man to show remorse that did something like that to me. I would feel it was their own choice, so they have to live with it now.
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
9 Mar 09
Men will not be remorseful unless until they have drained out all their juices.LOL That is when they are sick and broke. I am sure your husband will crawl back to you when he realized he is at the losing end when all the women turned their back against him. I often hear this saying 'no money no honey'. A cheater will always be a cheater. He is a habitual liar. Never can be trusted.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
10 Mar 09
I think some do and that is why they try to work things out and they feel so guilty that they admit to it without even being caught. Others have regrets afterwards when they realize the grass really wasn't greener over there. Still, there are many like your husband who just seem not to care. It would have been kinder had he just told you that he no longer loved you. I really don't understand the whole concept of cheating. There is always something a bit twisted in those sort of relationships. Not always...but usually. I know it hurts but I hope you are able to move on from this. It isnt your fault that he cheated. If he was so unhappy, he could have told you and gone about it differently. Cheaters and abusers always find a way to blane their victim to ease their own concious and to justify themselves.
1 person likes this
• United States
8 Mar 09
Sometimes they do and sometimes they do not. No matter which way you slice it, it is a deeply hurtful thing to cut at a person so deeply and then justify it. It takes more than one person to cheat. Our society seems to not care about these things as much as in the past. I learned something very awesome from my sister about all of this. Her husband left her after 15 years and three children. She was only working part time and they were in the middle of building a new home. He had told her repeatedly during that last year how much he loved her and then came home with the surprise that he loved someone else. What would your normal reaction be? Well, she was devastated and the children were basically fatherless since he left the state. When she told the family, she was very strong in saying that she did not want any of us to say anything negative about him. Her reasoning: her children were half of him and that would also be attacking her children. She slugged out the rest of the mess with him and moved forward. We prayed for her and supported her as much as we could. We ached for her and the children but we did what she requested. It has been a long hard road. I asked God to bless her and her children because now she was a widow (no husband) and her children were fatherless. Now many years later, the kids are almost grown. They all are excellent people. She lives in a beautiful home and they have been able to work through all the JUNK! There is a better day coming if you can keep from staying in the past and go forward past the hurt to a better destination. God bless you, this is just not an easy thing to go through.
@seabeauty (1480)
• United States
11 Mar 09
My family only say negative things about him and I don't mind a bit. It is true what they say. He may be half of my kids but my ex is a liar and a cheater and anything they say is warranted. I am glad your sister is doing well despite everything. Thanks for responding.
• United States
11 Mar 09
My sister's ex is what your ex is and more besides. It is not easy.
• India
9 Mar 09
No I don’t think so. Firstly, a person who is a compulsive cheater would feel proud of his/her latest acquisitions every time. Secondly, anybody who is cheating for the first time (maybe last time, too) would always try to find fault with the partner and hence somehow legalise the infidelity and try and stare at the mirror with an open mind. So no question of remorse in either case.
@kareng (54894)
• United States
9 Mar 09
What a cop out excuse. Honey you are not the one that made him sleep with another woman. I would just take this in stride, he will get what is coming to him sooner or later. Keep your chin up and smile. To answer your question, I have to say no because they don't think they did anything wrong. He proved that by blaming you!
@subha12 (18441)
• India
9 Mar 09
I feel cheaters are always cheaters. so they do not feel any remorse. they are ok with what they have done. however bad it may be.
• Philippines
9 Mar 09
well i guess he's just making excuses just to justify his wrongdoings, don't blame yourself, as he was blaming you, don't look back at all, I think the best thing you can do, is you have to move on, at least you are now a single, you too can find a much better man and deserves someone that would stay with you all through out. I think your husband would soon realized what he did.
@sinokirin (900)
• China
9 Mar 09
It is so clear it is not your fault. Your husband cheated you and betrayed your love. You made the right decision,I think you did the right thing. To your confusion, it's difficult to understand the guy who always cheat others, of course, sometimes the cheaters would feel bad for their cheating, but I believe they would be okay soon, because they are used to it. Everyone has compassion,including the cheater. the reason he doesnt care you is he doesnt love you anymore,that is all. take it easy, and happy to life.
• United States
9 Mar 09
I don't know if they ever feel bad for cheating. If cheaters felt bad for cheating they would say sorry and then promise not to cheat again. If a cheater does not say sorry and keeps on cheating, then they probably would not feel remorse.
@mizstress (719)
• Philippines
9 Mar 09
..i think so.. even if they dont say it they still feel that there is something going wrong with dem.. as you all know cheaters are still human and humans are good in nature.. they commit mistakes that could really hurt or even destroy us.. but believe me they still feel guilty that that something happened.. V v
@reneh2o (87)
• United States
9 Mar 09
I think the only time he will feel bad about it, is if it doesn't work out with the woman he is with now..Or better yet, if the woman he is with actually cheats on HIM..than maybe he will realize how he hurt you..
@roniroxas (10560)
• Philippines
8 Mar 09
well based on my experience with my ex-husband i think cheaters feel remorse only when they experienced to be cheated. when they felt that feeling of hurt that is only the time they will realize what they done. that is what i can say about that. and some guys has this attitude on blaming somebody else than blaming himself for doing such things like that he cheated because he wants to cheat.... finish. if he sees that there is something wrong in your relationship he must be man enough to stand up and say it than cheat. that is so weak and selfish move. imature.
@gracypure (529)
• Philippines
9 Mar 09
Yes! maybe not for few days but im sure for the next month year, and years he'll going to suffer regretfully , unless this person fond and capble on doing things that hurts to people around him especially those who are involved with him deeply... then maybe he can only feel and tolerate bad karma in a short period of time. During those times you'd been together, what type of husband he was?
@beachstarz (1092)
• United States
8 Mar 09
Hi seabeauty, I think they feel remorse when they get caught, but if they don't get caught I doubt they do. I don't understand why a woman would get with a man that she knows cheated on his wife . If he did it before , don't she think geee he might do it again? duh! Him blaming you ? I think it's just an excuse to do it . If he loved you he would have stayed and wanted to work things out without going out and cheating. I think that what goes around comes around , and one day its going to come back and bite him in the butt . I hope when that happens , you are around to laugh at him !
• United States
8 Mar 09
Hello. I think that sometimes a person cheats in "the heat of the moment", and they can feel remorse. But a person that sneaks and lies and covers up is just messed up inside. Those kinds of people have no empathy for others, and I don't think they are ever really happy themselves. They just go through life looking for the next thrill. Divorce hurts, but you will feel better soon and you are better off without someone like that.