6 women share why they had affairs, why they don't regret it, and how they didn't get caught

The woman, who used the pseudonym Michelle to protect her identity, stepped out on her 6-year marriage. She told Insider that her husband's sex drive seemed to be lower than hers. She didn't anticipate their lack of sexual chemistry when she met him 10 years ago, when she was 17.

"In some ways, I think I settled because I didn't really think there was a lot of options. Knowing that there are so many other people out there I can have these crazy world adventures with, it's kind of a nice feeling," she said.

The woman, who used the fake name Michelle to hide her identity, said using Ashley Madison felt overwhelming at first, but ultimately helped boost her confidence and relationship to her sexuality.

She currently sees the same affair partner, who she met on the website, once a week. They have sex at her house while her husband is at work and her daughter is at daycare, she told Insider. No one knows about the arrangement besides the two of them because Michelle said she fears judgment from her Christian community.

Still, Michelle said she thinks she's a better mother because of her affairs.

"When my daughter's around, I'm more present with her, just because I'm a little happier. Those little self-care things, like I pride myself in doing my hair and makeup more, give a confidence boost," she said.

During an episode of the podcast "She Wants More," the woman said she joined Ashley Madison after years of sexual boredom with her husband.

According to the woman, who used Nikki as a pseudonym to protect her identity, she's still loves her husband of 15 years. Before joining Ashley Madison, Nikki tried to be more adventurous with him during sex, asking to have her hair pulled or butt spanked.

Still, the sex was lackluster, Nikki said. It seemed like her husband was disinterested in improving their intimacy, so she made an Ashley Madison account and was met with a "torrential downpour of potential men," she said.

Her solution? An Excel spreadsheet outlining each man's screen name, attractiveness rating, consistency in responding to her messages, and his ability to listen and get to know her through conversation.

Then, Nikki created an untraceable Google Voice number and WhatsApp for texting and screened the men. She verified their identities with video calls, choosing 10 to meet for in-person dates.

Nikki said the man she ultimately picked for her first affair fulfilled fantasies she'd had for "aggressive" sex.

"I picked the best overall based on our chemistry, the quality of person I believed him to be, what he had to offer the affair. And he was really respectful, not only of me, but of my process," Nikki told "She Wants More" podcast host Jo Piazza.

The woman, who used Shelby as a pseudonym, told Insider that her sex life with her husband is "basically non-existent."

She said gave up on initiating sex with her husband three years ago. When they do have sex at his request, it's about "getting him off," Shelby said.

"It happens when it happens. It's not even planned and it's when he feels like it," Shelby said.

She ended up cheating on her husband on Christmas Day, with a man from Ashley Madison she'd gone on one dae with. Shelby said her husband decided to work a holiday shift and she was home alone, so she went to a hotel for sex with her affair partner, whose spouse was also working.

The woman, who used the fake name Kelly, said she feels responsible for keeping her marriage alive, even if it doesn't involve sex.

"I don't want to leave him because I don't want to hurt him and I promised him I wouldn't," Kelly told Insider. "I take care of the house, I take care of the responsibilities, I take care of what I need to do."

She said she's no longer physically attracted to her husband and reserves sex for her boyfriend, who she met three years ago on Ashley Madison. Her husband doesn't know about her boyfriend because they're in a "don't ask don't tell" marriage, Kelly said. They meet up at her house once a week while her husband is at work.

The woman said it felt like her interest in sexual exploration and her husband's vanilla tendencies were impossible to reconcile. Still, she didn't want to end her marriage.

Now, she meets up with her affair partner, who she's been seeing for a year, while she travels for work. They'll go on dates at bars and restaurants and then go back to her hotel where they experiment with sex toys.

The woman said she's a less resentful wife and mother because her affair partner lets her feel safe to be sexually free.

She told Insider that managing her life with her family while making time for pleasure with her affair partner can be stressful, but it's ultimately worthwhile.

"It's a lot of energy. It's a lot of thinking to constantly be on the ball and not let anything slip through the cracks, but also I'm happier when I come home because I can be more myself," she said.

On the podcast "Dying for Sex," host Nikki Boyer interviews her friend Molly about her decision to end her marriage in search of better sex.

Molly said that her cancer medication increased her sex drive compared to her husband, which compounded already existing problems in their relationship, like a lack of intimacy.

Desperate for sexual closeness, Molly exchanged explicit videos and photos on the app Snapchat. She ended up telling her husband about her decision, and he said he didn't care.

His apathy over the situation helped her realize she should leave her marriage, Molly told Boyer.

"Sex makes me feel alive — and it's a great distraction from being sick" she said on an episode of the six-part podcast.