Warning Signs Your Marriage Might Be In Trouble
Warning signs fill our lives. A child learns to wait for the walk signal before crossing a busy intersection. New drivers learn the warning signs that will save their lives on the highway. Warning signs of cancer, stroke, and heart disease help us address potential health dangers.
Here are warning signs that your marriage may be in trouble from 8 Warning Signs Your Marriage Might Be In Trouble.
- You hope your spouse will change instead of accepting your spouse.
- You define your spouse by who they are not rather than by who they are.
- You look forward to seeing someone who is not your spouse.
- You have stopped having a physical relationship with your spouse.
- You spend time thinking how your spouse could love your better than thinking how you could love your spouse better.
- You have stopped laughing together.
- You have stopped being honest with each other.
- You have stopped resolving conflict and harbor your resentments letting them grow.
Top 7 Warning Signs Your Marriage May End in Divorce offers these observations.
- You do not engage in meaningful conversations because you feel you no longer have anything in common.
- Every action is watched and criticized so you feel you cannot do anything right.
- You are the last to know because your partner no longer shares information.
- One of you changes his/her appearance.
- You and/or your spouse engage in distractions to avoid confronting problems.
- You and your spouse find yourselves arguing repeatedly over the same subject.
- Intimacy is a thing of the past.
According to The Divorce Experience: A Study of Divorce At Midlife and Beyond, a 153 page study involving 1,147 respondents for AARP conducted by a team of researchers from National Member Research, “emotionally, divorce is generally worse than losing a job, about equal to experiencing a major illness, and somewhat less devastating than the death of a spouse.” Don’t drift into this emotional maelstrom. Look at your marriage with new eyes.
Are you experiencing any of these signs? Is your spouse showing any of these signs? Do not wait until the divorce decision has been made. A professional counselor can help you and your spouse address these signs. A professional counselor can help you both to begin to put the pieces back together. A saved marriage is worth the investment. Start today.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are some warning signs that my marriage might be in trouble?
- Warning signs include hoping your spouse will change, defining them by who they are not, looking forward to seeing someone else, stopping physical intimacy, not resolving conflicts, and not laughing together. Recognizing these can help you address potential issues.
- How can I tell if communication is breaking down in my marriage?
- If you no longer engage in meaningful conversations, feel criticized frequently, or your partner doesn't share information with you, it may indicate a communication breakdown in the marriage.
- Is a lack of physical intimacy a warning sign of marriage trouble?
- Yes, stopping physical intimacy with your spouse is a sign that your marriage might be facing challenges. Lack of closeness can indicate growing emotional distance.
- Why is repeated arguing in a marriage concerning?
- Repeatedly arguing over the same subject can indicate unresolved issues and growing resentment, which can damage a marriage if not addressed properly.
- What impact does divorce have compared to other life events?
- Emotionally, divorce is considered worse than losing a job, about equal to a major illness, and somewhat less devastating than the death of a spouse.
- How can a professional counselor help my marriage?
- A counselor can help address warning signs, facilitate communication, and provide strategies for resolving conflicts, potentially saving your marriage.
Sources
- 12 Warning Signs of Marriage Trouble - Build Your Marriage (buildyourmarriage.org)According to the late Dr. David Stoop, “…The National Association of Marriage Enhancement, in Phoenix, Arizona, reported that when couples prayed together on a ...