If you’re unmarried, you might think of marriage as one of the most beautiful chapters in your life, where you embark on a journey with your better half. However, if you’re married, you’ll know that although it has its positives, it also comes with its fair share of negatives. Marriage isn’t all rainbows and butterflies – there are a lot of setbacks to get through and many problems to encounter. It’s immensely different than being in a relationship because you become so closely entwined with another person. While this brings you a lot of support in many situations, it can also bring a lot of conflicts.
Moreover, the issues married couples face today differ from those of a few years ago. Socioeconomic dynamics have changed immensely, and there are several factors that married couples now need to consider for a harmonious union. If you want to learn more about marital issues in today’s time, keep reading below.
1. Communication issues and conflict
Communication issues are highly prevalent across married couples and are often the most common cause of marriages falling apart. You might imagine bigger, more dangerous subjects such as abuse, addiction, or any other thing the cause of broken marriage. But it’s often a simple failure to see eye to eye that causes people to fall apart. Couples can soon start shifting away from each other simply due to a lack of honest and open communication.
As issues start piling up, people often feel like they have nothing in common with their partner or that there is too much bitterness to fix things. In such cases, heading to a counselor can be the best choice. A family and marriage counselor has all the skills necessary to help couples in conflict confront their issues. It can include digging up uncomfortable truths, but every step can help heal the relationship.
Marriage and family counseling is an expanding profession, given the rise in marital issues. It explains why these therapists are in high demand. For psychology students willing to know how to become a marriage and family therapist, checking out online resources will prove worthwhile. By pursuing online education, aspirants can cultivate essential skills through practical work exposure and devise workable strategies to help couples reach common ground.
2. Financial problems
Apart from relational issues, financial problems are some of the most common and devastating issues that couples face nowadays. Economic needs have changed immensely, and skyrocketing inflation rates mean it can be hard for two people with stable jobs to fund a normal lifestyle. Things can get much worse if you don’t have your own home and debts to pay off.
If you add children to this mix, financial problems can exacerbate even more. Disagreements about money can sour even the most perfect relationships and make it hard for couples to see eye to eye. If one person wants to save while the other wants to splurge, or if you feel there’s an unequal division of financial input, things can get pretty difficult. Financial issues can be hard to beat, but honest communication can help couples see each other’s expectations and need more clearly.
3. Infidelity
Trust is the most important thing in any relationship. Breaking that trust – be it sexually or emotionally can shatter a relationship. For many, infidelity is a red line you can’t come back from because it permanently changes how you see a person. 46% of people in monogamous relationships report having an affair. However, many couples try to overcome infidelity, despite the challenges.
Infidelity stems from a lack of satisfaction in the relationship. It can be immensely hard on the other person’s self-esteem. People who suspect their partners of infidelity or know they’re having an affair can show jealousy. In contrast, the cheating partner can be dismissive and hurtful. It can be hard to recover if you know your partner’s had an affair. So, you should only move forward if you feel you’ll be able to trust them again and that it won’t happen again.
Also Read: How to Rekindle A Marriage After Infidelity
4. Trauma
Traumatic incidents can shake even the strongest of marriages and, for some, can mean the end of a relationship. While going through something traumatic can bring you closer together as you heal, it can sometimes wrench a couple apart. Healing from trauma significantly changes a person and can bring depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other issues. Circumstances can be even harder if one person is hit harder by the situation than the other.
Common traumatic incidents that can impact a marriage strongly are miscarriages, accidents, and other incidents that involve losing a child. Each parent can react to the grief differently, which can drive a wedge in the marriage. Another way in which trauma can impact a marriage is when a partner suffers from PTSD or depression, or other mental health issues due to recent or past trauma. The traumatized partner can find it hard to open up. In contrast, the other partner can have difficulty understanding how to help.
5. Substance abuse
Unfortunately, substance abuse is on the rise, affecting all relationships the addict has. Being married to an addict can be incredibly challenging. It can mean putting up with constant deceit, mood swings, violence, negativity, and the draining of your finances.
Addicts can become withdrawn and can lose interest in anything apart from drugs. They can start missing important events and dates and neglecting their partner and children. In the advanced stages, having an addict at home can be dangerous for the whole family. Addicts can be extremely erratic, and in trying to get their fix, they can lash out at everyone. Substance abuse can be extremely hard to overcome, but with professional help, it can be possible. It takes a lot of dedication and perseverance to overcome addiction and tackle withdrawal symptoms and emotional triggers. With time, however, a supportive marriage and commitment on the part of the addict can help save the marriage and break the addiction.
Also Read: Chapter 2: The Dark Truth – Marital Sexual Abuse
Conclusion
Making a marriage work is no easy task. Even if you don’t encounter significant traumatic upheavals, a lot changes along the way. Constantly communicating, being honest, and getting help when needed are vital in carrying you along the way.
These are some of the most common issues you can face along the way, and watching out for the early signs can help you save your marriage.
