Why success leads them astray?

Recently in an interview with Delhi Times, a furious Shiney Ahuja denied all rumours about his alleged affair with Ruchi Narain, the director of Kal - Yesterday and Tomorrow. A much married Shiney, was worried that such news would upset his wife, Anu, who is VP of an MNC and is in New York. Talking about their relationship he said, "We've been together through every struggle.She's supported me all through. Now that success has come, I want to share every bit of it with her."
Now that is exactly what every spouse/lover, who had stood by his/her partner in their struggling days had hoped their partner would say about them. But sadly, many found themselves left high and dry, stranded in the middle of the road, emotionally, physically and financially drained.
What is it about success and fame that transform people into such parasites? After living off their partner during their years of struggle and depending on them for emotional and psychological support, they conveniently find love and support somewhere else when things start looking up for them. It is not uncommon nowadays to hear of people ditching their spouses and lovers for better-looking or successful partners, once they taste success. This kind of selfish behaviour has become such a common feature that all successful people are almost expected to act in a similar fashion. Going by Shiney's denial of his affair, one would think that he is a victim of such a thought process. Till date a model and struggling actor, it was probably assumed that his recent hits would have given him enough reason to fool around. With Bollywood abounding in stories of broken relationships, where one partner is more successful than the other, it was but natural to put two and two together and create another love story. While this may not surprise many, Shiney does not agree, "Achieving success has got nothing to do with growing apart. There are more personal reasons to that. On the contrary, success brings you closer, because you are happy and want to share it with your loved ones."
But what about people who do grow apart and see no reason to share their success with their loved ones and instead find someone else to share it with? What makes them leave people they've loved and who have stood by them in their bad times? Why is it that whereas in the past these individuals fulfilled all their emotional, physical and psychological needs, they suddenly become incapable of doing that anymore?
According Dr. Anurag Mishra, psychiatrist and psycho therapist, there are many reasons that would explain such a behaviour. Firstly, he explains, in some relationships where one partner lives off another, the former, as his fortune changes, might just refuse to acknowledge the contribution of his partner in his climb upwards. Such people often suffer from a sense of righteousness, a feeling that they deserved to succeed, that they had it in them to finally make it. Acknowledging someone else's contribution, even if it is their better half acts as a hindrance to their own claim to success.
Having done well for themselves, they feel that their partner had simply not utilised his/her chance to build up an equally successful career. Guess it simply does not occur to the star-in-the-making that his/her partner was probably more focused on building his/her careers. And since they firmly believe that whatever they have achieved is on their own steam, they tend to brush aside their partner's sense of hurt at being ignored.
Secondly, their new improved status brings along with it a new lifestyle, attitude and environment and interaction with a different set of people. In this if the spouse/lover is unable to cope up with the changes, he/she gets left behind and finally sidelined.
The person in question, who meanwhile, sees himself in a new glowing light, eventually moves towards greener pastures, which are available in plenty. As every human being always strives to get the perfect life for himself/herself, in this case too, the individual starts seeing defects in his/her own relationship and with willing, good-looking, successful people easily available, the temptation to stray becomes really strong. He/she justifies the betrayal thinking that since the partner is unable to meet the required standards and since he/she has the opportunity to do better, why not take it.
For some successful individuals their partner is a reminder of their struggling, poverty stricken past. A past they want to leave behind and forget. And this is stronger when the partner is unable to change with the changed times.
Then of course, there is ego. Having the opposite sex seducing and pandering to their every whim, is an affirmation of the fact that they have truly arrived. It is an acknowledgement from the outside world of the man's success, fame and achievement. And it seems natural for him/her to enjoy this new status.
This might explain the mind of successful individuals who are unable to rein in their libidinous instincts. The thrill of an illicit relationship is usually too strong for them to resist.
So while there will be a handful who will give in to temptation, there also will be others who will put up a fight, warring with their own internal demons to save their relationship. Ultimately, it is up to the individual. Does he or she believe the relationship is worth the effort? If yes, nothing can tempt the person to stray.