Have you ever noticed that something that greatly bothers another person might not have a negative effect on you at all? For instance, some people get really upset when someone zooms in and takes their parking spot, while others could not care less and consider such matters quite trivial. The same goes for most marriages — an issue that might be completely benign in one marriage may be enough to set off World War III in another.
This is why some marriages are able to withstand certain pressures and relationship problems while others end in divorce over the similar issues. Only you can determine if your relationship with your spouse is able to survive each marital problem that enters your relationship. That said, many Colorado spouses can relate to each other regarding the types of issues that prompt people to end their marriages.
Four main factors
While your situation may not be exactly like another couple’s, you may have certain issues in common. The following list includes general categories of problems that spouses who divorce often mention as having caused some type of breakdown in their relationships:
- Incompatibility: Whether you and your spouse were “two peas in a pod” when you met or felt more that you were opposites who attracted each other, you likely got along quite well in the beginning stages of your relationship. People change with time, and many married couples say they chose to divorce when they were no longer compatible with their mates.
- Addictions: Substance abuse and other addictive habits often cause serious marriage problems from which spouses are unable to recover.
- Distance from companionship: Some spouses say they still get along just fine with their former spouses but found that they had drifted far apart from each other in marriage. If you feel like you and your spouse are living separate lives, you may relate to this category.
- Extra-marital affairs: It’s no secret that infidelity wreaks havoc on the marriages it afflicts.
It can be overwhelmingly stressful to maintain your relationship with your spouse if the two of you are always at odds. There is a difference between having different likes and dislikes and living in a constant state of contention. The latter can cause the type of stress that often leads to physical and mental health problems.
Building a network of support
You and your spouse may be able to go through counseling or turn to trusted family members or friends to help you overcome your marital problems. If you’ve already tried all that (perhaps, numerous times), and your situation has not improved or has actually gotten worse, you may want to consider other options to help you get life back on track.
For some Colorado spouses, divorce is one of those options. If this is the path you decide to take, it may be one of the most challenging and emotionally difficult experiences of your life. However, there is no need to go it alone.