A lot may have changed in the way modern couples experience and express love; but when it comes to a cheating spouse or partner, most will draw the line. And so, when reports of pop singer Justin Timberlake getting a little too close for comfort with his new co-star Alisha Wainwright made headlines, many fans wondered if this was a sign of Timberlake's seven-year-old marriage with actor Jessica Biel coming to an end. "It's easy to assume that infidelity will automatically lead to the demise of a romantic partnership; however, several factors such as greater social equality between men and women, the rise of relationship and sex experts, and diminishing stigma about going to a therapist have led to couples seeking solutions that go beyond the 'stay together or break up' formula that once followed betrayal," says Dr Nahid Dave, a psychiatrist at Insight Clinic, Vashi. However, that isn't to say that couples are finding it easier to move on after being cheated on; the road to recovery is still long and painful and requires a lot of commitment and hard work.

When love fails
Whether or not it is realistic to try to build bridges with your partner after an affair depends on a few factors, says Dr Dave.