Subtle 'drip' theory could be a sign your partner is cheating on you

No one would like to think their partner is capable of cheating, but sadly, it's a more common occurrence than you'd think.

While no relationship is perfect, infidelity is often a deal-breaker.

According to Techopedia, the US is the country with the most cheaters, with 71 percent of 2,000 people surveyed admitting to having an affair.

Some people might catch their partner out by spotting their flirty text messages or perhaps their internet search history...

For others, the guilt might be too much to handle, and they'll straight-up admit to being unfaithful.

The signs of cheating aren't always so obvious (Fizkes/Getty Images)

But there's one subtle sign that could mean your partner is hiding the truth from you.

Taking to Reddit - where else! - one person posted to the R/AskReddit thread: "From personal experience, what are the signs your partner is cheating?"

There were more than one thousand responses, but one in particular seemed to really resonate with social media users - the 'drip' theory.

What is the 'drip' theory?

Also known as the 'trickle truth,' it's where a lying partner slowly reveals the full truth over a long period of time.

As one user described it: "Drip feeding - i.e. when something originally innocuous gradually turns out to be less and less so."

Sometimes, you have to listen to your gut (PeopleImages/Getty Images)

They gave an example: "I was out with the girls... I was out with a mixed group... actually it was Dave and his mates... actually it was just Dave... actually we weren't out, we were at his..."

It continued: "Nothing happened... okay we kissed... okay we slept together but it was just once... okay I've been f*****g him for a year..."

Not only is this hurtful for the person being drip-fed, but it really makes you think twice about giving people the benefit of the doubt.

The Reddit user added: "Obviously it's obvious by the end, but the lesson is that by the second 'drip' you can tell something is up, and it's going to turn out much worse.

"There are never only two drips."

Drip feeding often does more harm than good (Fizkes/Getty Images)

Elsewhere on the site, one remorseful person shared their own experience of being a drip-feeder.

Reflecting on 'trickle truthing' their wife over the course of the year, he said: "I attempted to control the outcome… through more lies... I tried to fabricate the ideal situation to minimize damage."

In a warning to others, he wrote: "Tell the entire truth the first time, no matter how difficult it is. Or how much you believe it will hurt them.

"The worst that happens is you lose them. But you already run that risk.

"We all know what we signed up for when we made the choices we did. The only person we can blame is ourselves."