When we vow to spend the rest of our lives with our spouse, we like to think that our shared future will remain bright. However, as the national divorce rate is still about fifty percent, it’s worth taking a look at some common reasons that married couples eventually come to the decision to end their marriages. Martial experts, including psychologists and sociologists, have been studying marital trends and exploring what factors play the biggest role in determining whether a couple may end up divorcing. Through numerous studies, surveys, anecdotes, and other methods of data compilation, a few repeating trends have emerged over the years. Let’s take a look at four common factors that predict divorce, and how you and your spouse can take control over your futures.
Reason #1: You Get Married too Young
The research seems fairly consistent on this one—age matters. In general, couples that marry later in life tend to stay together for longer. Couples who marry when they are young—in their late teens or early twenties—are more likely to get divorced. It seems that age is a significant factor in determining a marriage’s longevity, as it is likely that young couples who make such a permanent commitment are not yet fully formed as individuals. As they mature, they may discover that they actually have divergent or incompatible values, preferences, or life goals, prompting them to pursue a divorce.
Reason #2: One Partner Struggles With Emotional Instability
Numerous studies and surveys have found that marriages involving one spouse who may experience frequent bouts of neuroticism or emotional instability have a harder time staying together. When one spouse is struggling with extreme sensitivity to perceived threats, or tends to overly analyze their partner’s behavior, looking for hidden meanings, the marriage has a difficult time staying afloat. While some partnerships with this issue may find therapy useful, in many cases, the individuals eventually decide to go their separate ways.
Reason #3: Infidelity Undermines Trust
Of course, infidelity can severely disturb your marriage, as you may never be able to fully trust one another again. Emotions run high, and it’s common for the spouse who was cheated on to feel betrayed and angry. Marriage counseling may be able to help, but many couples find that the wounds are too deep to fully heal. Once cheating has occurred, both partners tend to report feelings of unhappiness with the marriage, which often prompts them to seek a divorce.
Reason #4: A Lack of Respect
Another common predictor of divorce is a general lack of respect within the marriage. If you feel that your spouse takes you for granted, ignores you, or tries to undermine you at every turn, it’s natural that you may begin to feel dissatisfied with your marriage. Respect is a trait that needs to be cultivated throughout the marriage, so it’s essential that you and your spouse set aside time to fully connect with one another. When partners begin to drift apart, it’s easy to start taking each other for granted and letting your marriage slip away.
Taking Control Over Your Future
Whether you are beginning to see early signs of marital trouble or you’ve decided that a divorce or separation is inevitable, it’s important to consider all of your options. If you and your spouse still want to work on your marriage, you may think about working with a marriage counselor to get your partnership back on track. You may also decide to commit to more frequent “date nights,” or opportunities to connect with each other and make sure you still share a similar vision for your future. Of course, if you believe it’s too late to save your marriage, then you should contact a knowledgeable dissolution and divorce lawyer you can help you achieve your goals. Either way, it’s important for you to get the assistance you need to enjoy a brighter future.
To learn more about dissolution and divorce in the West Chester area, reach out to the dedicated legal team at Garretson & Holcomb, LLC by calling (513) 863-6600 today.
