Divorce – Is it the Right Answer?
Divorce in our country is so rampant that one third of those who have taken the plunge have also experienced the devastation of divorce. With the vast majority of people in America being married one or more times, it is common knowledge that every couple goes through a few rocky patches. Many marital problems can be solved with open communication and a solid commitment to one another. For more serious issues, some couples turn to marital counseling and may find renewed strength at the end of that journey.
Some problems escalate into insurmountable barriers to a successful marriage, unfortunately. Generally these seemingly unsolvable issues stem from one or both partners refusing to address their problems while they are still manageable. Emotional abandonment by a spouse may be the result of injured feelings that have not been expressed properly, and the ensuing resentment that builds from a lack of validation by the one who did the hurting. As one of the couple get more entangled in such thoughts, soon the couple will end up seeking divorce.
Lack of communication kicks off the process of breaking up marriages. One of the hazards of keeping information from one another is that eventually you stop talking altogether. A failure to communicate with each other indicates a lack of trust, which is the foundation of marriage.
Shortly following a breakdown in communication, a partner may begin to employ personal defense mechanisms that will continue to weaken the marital bond. Stonewalling tactics, being overly defensive, or dismissing the other spouse’s feelings makes healthy conflict resolution impossible. One surefire way to sabotage your own marriage is to behave in a passive-aggressive manner or use the silent treatment as punishment.
The spouse can try to handle the marital problems in such a way that a common solution is achieved and the problems stop to exist anymore. Eventually the spouse making an effort to correct issues in the marriage will tire of being ignored and may even begin to distance his or herself from the other partner. This is a stage when either or both the spouse want to call it a day to end the relationship.
when a marriage is doomed, is there a “point of no return”? Of course these exist. But that issue varies from couple to couple. The key to saving a marriage is willingness to save it. As either of the spouse want to get apart, nothing is left in the marriage. Repairing a marraige takes serious committment and a willingness to be open and honest while being forgiving and long suffering. It can be a long, arduous process, but divorce can be just as difficult.
If divorce is a subject you’re interested in, you can read more about my experience as an Austin TX family law attorney. You can also request our Austin TX Divorce Guide CD at TruslerLegal.com. If you need other answers, you can read our Austin divorce FAQ’s.
