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This is the stigma that is attached with cheating... Everyone has the potential to cheat, and once you've stepped over the line the potential to do it again seems much greater.
If you don't want that stigma, then you should either not cheat or make amends with yourself. None of this has anything to do with convincing others... if you truly don't like being labelled a cheater, then do everything you possibly can to never cheat again (which is something that everyone can do with determination).
I don't think you need our support or faith in this matter. This is a disadvantage that you've built for yourself.
I won't say that there is no hope for people to stop cheating once they start, but it is indicative of being able to cross over an ethical/moral boundary. Cheating is usually rationalized in some manner to make it easier to cope with without feeling excessive guilt. I think cheating is the perfect situation for someone to feel guilt from. Hiding from that feeling makes the behavior more likely to occur again.
In any event, once you have cheated that will always stay with you, and in that sense you truly will always be a cheater whether you ever cheat again or not. It is up to you to then, after the fact, determine for yourself what that event means for you.
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Innominate.
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