1) Your significant other is consistently "working late" or has repeated excuses to be elsewhere. They take numerous trips out of town. - Frequent excuses for their time is one of the first signs that can lead people to believe that their significant other is having an affair. If you ask your spouse about their time, and they become defensive and secretive, then you need to consider what other signs you may be seeing.

2) They are hiding their cell phone & credit card bills suddenly - If a spouse starts hiding their cell phone, credit card bills, online history, or more, it can be a sign that they are having an affair. A cheating spouse may become agitated when the innocent spouse picks up their phone, or looks around in their things.

3) Major shifts in familiar habits - It's normal to change styles and tastes frequently when you're an adolescent, but when an adult in a significant relationship does it, something is going on. If your partner has drastic new tastes in clothing, music or hygiene habits, it MAY be a sign of a new romantic interest.

4) Your partner becomes emotionally withdrawn or depressed when at home, but gets excited to go out on their own. - This is one of the most recognized signs of infidelity. The cheating party may not respond to efforts by the innocent person to improve the relationship or to discuss what is making them unhappy.

5) Overly Defensive - A cheating spouse may sometimes have overly defensive reactions to a spouse's question of their faithfulness. If you discuss your fear or suspicions with your spouse and they become overly defensive about their actions, you may want to examine the reasons for their reactions.

6) Unusually flirtatious with others - If you begin to notice that your significant other is being overly flirtatious or starts spending more time with other people when you are out together, then you may want to take a closer look at what is going on. If you mention these suspicions to your spouse, their reaction may give you some insight.

7) New demands for privacy - If your spouse suddenly begins hiding things from you and demanding that you give them their privacy, it could be a sign that they are trying to hide an affair from you. Cheating spouses can become very defensive about their privacy and their desire to keep their phone messages, emails, text messages, and more away from you.

8) Controlling behavior, or accusing you of being controlling - Cheating spouses may exhibit controlling behavior toward their significant other, or may accuse the innocent spouse of being controlling, due to their own guilt. Control can be an ongoing issue in a marriage affected by infidelity.

9) Angry, critical, cruel - Oftentimes, a cheating spouse may become upset at trivial things and show signs of unhappiness that the innocent party may not be able to explain. If you feel like you are the only one willing to work on the relationship, and your spouse is constantly unhappy, but refuses to acknowledge it or talk to you about it, you may want to take a closer look.

10) Absent when you are ill - One of the cruelest signs of infidelity is the absence of your spouse or loved one at the times that you need them the most. If there is an illness or traumatic event in your life that your spouse isn't sticking around for, then it may be time to think about the reasons for their absence.

Although these are common signs of infidelity, they are not proof of it. If you suspect your significant other of cheating, it is best to make sure that you are correct before you confront them. One way to make sure is to hire a private detective, experienced in infidelity investigations. East Coast Investigations, Inc. is a leading private investigator agency that offers service throughout the state of Virginia.