* 1 in 3 people admit to having an affair in the third year of marriage
* Top reasons for the breakdown of relationships in the first three years include lack of intimacy, having children and boredom.
* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site
If you’re married or in a long-term relationship, you’ll almost definitely have heard about the concept of the seven-year itch – that moment when the initial excitement fades and cracks start appearing. Well, it turns out that in this fast-paced world, couples come to a crossroads much sooner, something that the contestants of Married at First Sight UK, might want to keep in mind as the new season begins.
According to research conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, who surveyed 2,000 of its members, 33% of married people turn to cheating in the third year of marriage.
Shockingly, 7% of people start having an affair in the first year as husband or wife, barely leaving time for the confetti to settle.
But, what causes such a strain on relationships so early on that people feel the need to fall back on infidelity? The poll found nearly half (48%) of married people blame a lack of intimacy for the downfall of their marriage. Having children (23%) and boredom (16%) were also cited as major factors in the breakdown of relationships.
Chloe, 36, from Aberdeen, who recently joined the married dating site IllicitEncounters.com, said, “If you asked me three years ago whether I could see myself cheating on my husband, I’d have laughed in your face. I was madly in love, there was so much passion, and I couldn’t have been happier on my wedding day.
I think it was the routine that zapped away all of the excitement and lust though. The spontaneity at the beginning of our marriage completely died out, and everything just became so predictable: wake up, peck on the cheek, go to work, come home, peck on the cheek, have dinner, watch TV, peck on the cheek, go to sleep. In the third year of being husband and wife, that’s when the cycle just got too much for me and I decided to get my thrills elsewhere.”
Sex and relationships expert at IllicitEncounters.com, Jessica Leoni, commented, “People have always believed in the seven-year itch, but then there was talk of the four-year itch, and now the stats show the restlessness kicks in after just three years.
For the MAFS contestants, it’s really important they’re aware of these figures as they navigate their way through their new marriages: getting married at first sight has its own challenges, but they’ll see fresh ones arise as the years go by. Marriages aren’t easy.
Couples might find that they start taking each other for granted more, and routine can make you feel like you’ve just got your relationship on autopilot. But, it’s during that third year of marriage that a desire for something new creeps in, wondering what life would be like outside of the relationship.
You could try to rediscover the sparks that brought you together in the first place. Having a go at something new together, or even just spicing things up in the bedroom can work wonders for a relationship. Ultimately, though, the itch gets a bit too much to ignore for some, and they’ll only get relief from all that scratching through infidelity.”
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