There are many signs that indicate when a marriage is in trouble. If caught early enough, they may help a couple avoid divorce. Couples may be able to sit down and talk through their differences. If they cannot reach agreement, they might choose to seek help through marriage counseling. Avoiding divorce is important to some couples. They would rather fix their issues than end the marriage. Learning how to tell when a marriage is in trouble is an investment in keeping a marriage strong.
One of the more important signs of marital problems is apathy. This is seen when the couple should be making a decision together. One person makes a suggestion and the other person continually agrees without even considering the question. These decisions do not have to be major. Minor decisions such as where to dine out are even an indicator if one person continues to refuse to contribute to the decision process. This person has disconnected from the relationship and is slowly drifting away. Counseling may be able to help the couple reconnect with each other.
People often believe arguments are a sign the marriage is in trouble. This is not necessarily true. The way the arguments are conducted is a more important sign. Disagreement can be healthy in a relationship because two people may have very different viewpoints. If a couple's arguments are less about the current topic of disagreement and more about hurting each other, this is a sign the marriage is in trouble. This couple will form resentments over time when they have been hurt during successive arguments. Without assistance to learn how to disagree, their marriage may end.
When it comes to marriages, there are few hard and fast rules on what causes a couple to divorce. Some may simply find it easier to divorce than compromise. Others may be emotionally scarred from constant arguments that are never settled. Still others may simply drift away as they disconnect from their partner.
