I (31M) have been in a committed relationship with my girlfriend (29F) for 3 years. We live together and generally have a good relationship. She's caring, supportive, and we share many common interests.
Recently, I've been experiencing urges to cheat that I've never felt before. I haven't acted on these feelings, but they're becoming more frequent and intense. I don't want to hurt my partner or damage our relationship, but I'm struggling with these thoughts.
I think part of the issue might be that our intimacy has decreased over the past year as we've both been busy with work. We've also fallen into predictable routines, and I miss the excitement we used to have.
I've considered talking to her about these feelings, but I'm afraid it would hurt her deeply or make her lose trust in me. At the same time, I don't want to keep secrets.
Has anyone dealt with similar urges in a long-term relationship? How did you overcome them? Is this a phase that will pass, or a sign of deeper issues in our relationship?
TL;DR: Experiencing urges to cheat in my 3-year relationship despite loving my partner. Looking for advice on how to address these feelings constructively without acting on them or hurting my partner.