Discovering infidelity is one of the most painful betrayals you can experience. If you’ve been cheated on, it’s normal to feel inadequate, blindsided, and to compare yourself to the other woman — the mistress. You might be asking: What did she have that I didn’t? Was she better than me?
But here’s the truth every betrayed partner needs to hear:
The mistress does not compete with you—on any level. In any way.
In fact, the mistress often steps into an affair out of deep insecurity, low self-worth, and unresolved mental and emotional struggles. Your partner’s decision to stray was not because the mistress is “better”—it’s often because she was simply available, unbound by emotional depth, and easy to access in moments of weakness.
While society often glamorizes the “other woman,” mistresses are not enviable. They usually exist in relationships based on secrecy, instability, and fantasy. Their involvement is not a reflection of your worth—but of their own emotional limitations.
The Mistress Often Comes from a Place of Insecurity, Not Strength
Contrary to popular belief, mistresses are usually highly insecure individuals who pursue unavailable partners for reasons tied to their own emotional needs and vulnerabilities. They don’t “win” because they are better; often, they seek validation by going after someone who is already committed precisely because it’s a challenge that temporarily boosts their fragile self-esteem.
- Mistresses frequently struggle with low self-worth and may use the affair as a way to feel desired.
- They knowingly target partners who are unavailable—emotionally, physically, or relationally—because it offers them a controlled, albeit unhealthy, connection.
- The relationship is often based on secrecy and fantasy rather than authentic, stable love.
Common Mental and Emotional Health Struggles of Mistresses
Mistresses often pursue unavailable men not because they’re confident—but because they’re emotionally compromised. These are just a few psychological patterns frequently found in women who knowingly engage with taken partners:
1. Low Self-Esteem and Approval-Seeking Behavior
Many mistresses crave validation and attention, even if it’s temporary or harmful. Being “chosen,” even secretly, can provide a fleeting ego boost.
2. Fear of Intimacy
Emotionally unavailable people often seek out equally unavailable relationships. By choosing someone already committed, the mistress avoids real vulnerability or long-term demands.
3. Unresolved Childhood Trauma
Attachment wounds, especially from abandonment or neglect, can lead to unhealthy relationship patterns. The mistress may reenact trauma through emotionally unsafe relationships.
4. Narcissistic Traits or Codependency
Some mistresses manipulate for attention, drama, or control. Others, due to codependency, attach themselves to emotionally destructive dynamics because they believe it’s love.
5. Self-Sabotaging Behavior
Pursuing a married or committed person is a subconscious way of ensuring rejection, reinforcing a negative self-narrative: I’m not worthy of a real, available relationship.
Why Do Mistresses Go After Unavailable Partners?
Choosing a partner who is already in a relationship is rarely accidental:
- It limits the potential for a full, demanding relationship, allowing the mistress to maintain emotional distance.
- It provides a sense of power or control in a situation where the mistress often feels powerless elsewhere.
- The mistress avoids facing the real challenge of building a healthy, mutual relationship because deep down, they may fear intimacy or vulnerability.
The Betrayed Partner vs. The Mistress: What Your Partner Really Knows
Your partner’s decision to stray doesn’t mean the mistress is “better” than you in meaningful ways. In fact, the cheating partner:
- Usually recognizes that the betrayed partner is the primary source of love, stability, and true connection.
- May be seeking novelty, escape, or validation but rarely confuses this with real, deep love.
- Knows on some level that the mistress does not provide the emotional safety, history, or compatibility found in their primary relationship.
Why the Straying Partner Chooses the Mistress (and Doesn’t Love Her)
One of the most painful questions betrayed partners ask is:
“Did they love her?”
The short, research-backed answer? No.
Here’s why:
1. The Mistress Is Easily Accessible—Not Emotionally Special
Straying partners often choose the mistress not because she’s superior or more lovable, but because she is emotionally low-risk and immediately available. There’s no real emotional investment required, no long-term expectations, and no deep accountability. In most cases:
- The mistress says yes easily because she’s already emotionally invested in the fantasy of “being chosen.”
- She is less likely to challenge or confront the cheating partner—providing comfort, not growth.
- She allows the cheating partner to be seen, admired, and desired without needing to do the emotional labor that real intimacy requires.
This dynamic is often fueled by ego, escapism, and convenience—not love.
2. It’s About Escape, Not Emotional Fulfillment
Affairs, particularly emotional or physical ones, frequently occur during times of stress, disconnection, or personal crisis. The mistress becomes a distraction, a place to hide, or a fantasy version of reality that lacks the depth and complexity of a committed relationship.
The straying partner usually knows:
- The mistress is not someone they could build a stable, long-term life with.
- Her value is tied to the temporary escape she provides, not who she is at her core.
- She does not match the history, emotional safety, or authenticity they have with their partner.
- The cheating partner knows, even subconsciously, that this relationship lacks the depth and value of their primary partnership.
3. The Straying Partner Often Regrets the Affair
According to the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, the vast majority of individuals who have affairs later report regret and guilt, especially if they genuinely care for their primary partner. Many admit the affair was a mistake, and that it did not provide lasting satisfaction.
In fact:
- Less than 10% of affairs result in long-term relationships.
- When affairs do turn into relationships, they are twice as likely to end in divorce or separation compared to other unions (American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy).
- Most straying partners do not fall in love with the mistress. Instead, they often feel emotionally stuck, confused, and ashamed.
The Truth: The Mistress Was an Escape, Not a Replacement
Your partner may have strayed, but chances are they never intended to replace you—because there is no replacement for a long-standing emotional bond, shared life, and authentic connection.
Even if they couldn’t say it or show it, most cheating partners:
- Did not love the mistress the way they love or once loved their partner.
- Knew she was an easy option, not a meaningful one.
- Understood that their real emotional anchor was with the betrayed partner, not the affair partner.
What Does Research Say About Affairs?
Studies consistently show that in most cases:
- The primary partner still loves the betrayed partner more than the mistress.
- Affairs often arise from personal dissatisfaction, unmet needs, or situational factors rather than a true switch of affection.
- Emotional connections with mistresses are frequently temporary and less stable compared to the main relationship.
For example, a 2020 study published in the Journal of Marriage and Family found that many unfaithful partners continue to hold strong emotional bonds with their primary partner despite the affair.
Scientific studies continue to support the truth many betrayed partners need to hear:
- A study published in the Journal of Sex Research (2021) found that emotional dissatisfaction—not sexual excitement—is the leading motivator for infidelity.
- According to data from Marriage and Family Therapy Review, over 75% of unfaithful partners report they did not fall in love with the affair partner.
- Most affairs don’t lead to lasting relationships—less than 10% of affairs become committed partnerships.
In other words: the mistress is rarely loved, and she is almost never chosen in the end.
You Are Not in Competition — You Are Irreplaceable
Let this be a reminder:
- You are not competing with a mistress
- You are not replaceable because of someone else’s poor choices
- Your value is not diminished by betrayal
The affair says everything about them—and nothing about you.
How Therapy Can Help You Heal After Betrayal
Infidelity is a trauma that can affect your mental health, self-worth, and ability to trust. Therapy can help you:
- Process grief, betrayal trauma, and complex emotions
- Rebuild your confidence and boundaries
- Understand your partner’s choices without blaming yourself
- Decide whether to repair or release the relationship
- Take your power back with clarity and strength
You don’t have to go through it alone.
Healing and Moving Forward: Your Worth Is Not Defined by the Mistress
Remember: You are not in competition with the mistress. Your worth, your love, and your role in your partner’s life cannot be replaced by someone else’s insecurity or choices.
If you’re navigating the pain of betrayal, healing is possible. Therapy, support groups, and self-compassion are powerful tools to help you rebuild trust in yourself and your relationships.
Take Back Your Power and Heal
If you’re struggling with betrayal and the emotional turmoil it brings, don’t face it alone.
- Reach out to a therapist who specializes in infidelity and relationship healing
- Join support groups for betrayed partners to share your experience and find community.
- Prioritize self-care and remember your value is independent of your partner’s actions.
Ready to start healing? Schedule with one of our therapists today at 847-461-8414 and take the first step toward reclaiming your life and self-worth.