When you think about marriage, you may imagine it to be a fairytale-like story. In reality, many relationships do end up in divorce. Even basic compatibility issues can make a marriage fail miserably. So, you must look out for signs of a broken marriage.
Telltale Signs of a Broken Marriage
The signs of a marriage in trouble are often subtle. Sometimes it’s not even clear that your relationship is broken until it’s too late.
So, if you’re trying to save your marriage, here are the seven telltale signs you shouldn’t ignore:
1. You’re Constantly Criticizing
When you’re out of love, you’re likely to focus on your partner’s flaws only. It’s uncomfortable to be with someone who is criticizing your flaws and limitations all the time.
Being too critical in a marriage can sweep away positive emotions over time and can lead to divorce.
So, if you constantly blame, critique, nitpick, or disapprove of each other, your marriage is going downhill.
According to a study by Dr. John Gottman, every couple should follow the 5:1 ratio rule. That means, for every one negative interaction, couples should have five more positive interactions to stay happy together.
Read: How to Deal with an Irritating Husband Quickly
2. Arguing Too Much or No Argument at All
If you’re tense because you had a few fights last month, let’s read this: every married couple argues. In fact, healthy arguments can address and resolve any issues in a marriage.
However, during a fight, if you don’t respect boundaries, verbally abuse each other, and argue unfairly, it’s a clear sign of a troubled marriage. Arguments about the same things over and over only accelerate the breakup process.
On the contrary, if you’re bottling up your feelings to avoid confrontation, chances are you lack connection. Avoiding conflicts could mean you’ve given up on your marriage. And there’s nothing left in the relationship worth fighting for.
Read: Signs of Overthinking in a Relationship
3. Your Communication Fizzles
In healthy marriages, couples can communicate openly and share their feelings without hesitation. Open communication can help you deal with any conflicts maturely.
However, poor communication in a marriage can cause a lot of trouble. When your marriage falls apart, you tend to turn insignificant things into heated arguments.
Due to poor communication, you stop sharing your daily lives, feelings, thoughts, and insecurities with each other. All these behaviors are telltale signs of a broken marriage.
Read: Traits of Narcissist Husband (You Must Watch Out for 3rd One)
4. There’s No Room for Intimacy
Intimacy is one of the most significant factors that strengthen a marital relationship. And by intimacy, we’re not referring only to sex. Any form of physical touch like hugging, cuddling, snuggling, or simply holding hands can refer to a gesture of showing intimacy.
When there’s no longer room for intimacy in your relationship, it’s a red flag for your marriage.
Lack of intimacy can boil up emotional frustration and misunderstandings between partners. Also, you may start to feel isolated, which can eventually result in separation.
5. You have Financial Differences
A lot of couples overlook the financial issues in a marriage, which results in devastating consequences. As per a 2018 study, millennial couples who are concerned about debts constantly argue about money.
So, if both partners have different financial values or manage expenses in different ways, serious conflicts can occur.
Also, major life events like job loss or financial setbacks can make your marriage stressful. And if you don’t address these issues on time, your marriage can take a backseat.
6. You’re Losing Interest
If you’ve stopped caring about what’s going on in your spouse’s life, it could be a sign of a failing marriage. You enjoy each other’s companionship in a happy marriage. You share meaningful conversations and comfortable silence together.
But, if you don’t pay attention to your partner or being with them feels like a chore, something is off in the marriage.
7. You don’t Spend Quality Time Together
Distance can make a relationship stronger in various ways. But, if you find yourself always looking for excuses to stay away from your spouse, it’s definitely a red flag.
Happy couples look forward to spending some alone or quality time together. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy! Even cuddling on the couch to binge-watch Netflix together can be enough to keep the spark alive.
However, if you notice that you rather spend time with your friends or colleagues than with your partner, your marriage is doomed.
How to Fix a Broken Marriage
Broken marriages can be fixed- it just takes work. Some issues can be challenging to resolve. But, if you are determined to fight for your marriage, here are some ways you can fix it:
- Have honest communication to understand the problem.
- Listen to your partner attentively
- Try to be accountable for your own mistakes
- Be willing to make changes
- Get professional help from couples therapists
How Do You Know When a Marriage is Beyond Repair?
There’s no surefire way to tell whether your marriage is beyond repair. But, various factors can indicate the downfall of a marriage. For example, you’ve no emotional connection with your spouse, you no longer trust your partner, and you’ve no intention to fight for the relationship.
What Are the Signs of a Marriage Breakdown?
Some of the common signs of a marriage breakdown are- constant criticism, lack of communication, secret-keeping, lack of intimacy, too much argument, avoiding conflicts, and no longer enjoying each other’s company.
Wrapping Up
Before committing to divorce, put in the work, it takes time and effort to make a marriage work. Don’t just quit on marriage because of one of the signs listed above. Work with your spouse and come up with solutions.
