Is your partner micro-cheating on you? Subtle red flags to watch out for that spell doom for your relationship

Micro-cheating may be seemingly insignificant actions that may not qualify as outright infidelity but they do weigh in on the relationship later on.

Cheating in a relationship is an outright dealbreaker, a breach of trust. It involves betrayal and breaking the commitment two people have made to each other. Cheating is often understood as clear-cut, with no doubts. But then there's micro-cheating, a series of subtle red flags that may seem ambiguous at first, but they are disrespectful and inappropriate towards the partner.

Micro-cheating may seem small or trivial on the surface, but it walks the fine line between personal privacy and emotional betrayal. (Shutterstock)

Micro-cheating may not involve another person with whom they are cheating with, but signs of disloyalty. Over time, when left unchecked, it can pave way to a deeper form of potential infidelity.

Psychologist Raakhi Beekrum, took to Instagram to share micro-cheating signs you should keep an eye out for.

Mirco-cheating signs

Following inappropriate accounts on social media is also one of the problematic micro-cheating signs. (Shutterstock)

Rakhi explained micro-cheating violates the agreed-upon boundaries of the relationship. Here are some signs of micro-cheating:

• Lying about or hiding your relationship status.
• Inappropriate/flirting texting.
• Staying in contact with (or stalking) an ex.
• Having secret friendships or meeting someone secretly.
• Following inappropriate social media accounts.
• Liking or making inappropriate comments on pictures of someone you're attracted to.
• Speaking negatively about your partner to someone you know they won't approve of.
• Sending photos of yourself or asking for photos of someone you're attracted to.
• Saving numbers under a different name on your phone.

Key takeaways

Based on the tips, it's clear that there's a difference between personal boundaries and secrecy. Intent is the difference. Digital behaviour is one of the things to look out for. From following suggestive accounts to leaving inappropriate comments, online actions matter. Furthermore, emotional disloyalty is a major red flag, especially when a partner speaks poorly behind their back.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional advice.