How Long Does It Take to Forgive Someone for Cheating?

For some people, they might need a few weeks to forgive a cheating spouse, and everything returns to normal. On the other hand, the issue of taking back a cheating spouse could span as long as several months running to years.

Can you ever truly forgive someone for cheating?

After cheating occurs, it's acceptable for the person who was cheated on to feel betrayed and, in turn, lose trust in their partner. Although there isn't one surefire way to rebuild that trust, Lundquist says "giving a credible understanding of how the cheating happened" can help.

How long does it take to rebuild trust after cheating?

"Although it can vary for each couple, a good benchmark [for how long it will take to rebuild the trust] is 1-2 years,” she explains. “An important milestone to hit is the one-year anniversary of finding out about the infidelity.