Signs Your Marriage Is Heading Toward Divorce

Maintaining a strong and healthy marriage can be difficult. Certain issues can be a sign of impending divorce, such as breakdowns in communication or one or both spouses giving up on trying to resolve conflicts. If you think you are headed for divorce, learn what to do and when to contact a family lawyer in Sacramento.

Communication Failures

While no marriage is perfect, you may be heading toward divorce if your relationship experiences more downs than ups. For example, if you are dealing with constant arguments or ongoing disputes that have become mentally and emotionally exhausting. The inability to openly, honestly and effectively communicate with your spouse in your daily life or when trying to resolve conflicts may indicate deeper issues.

Trust Issues

A marriage cannot survive without a strong foundation of trust. It may not be possible for the relationship to recover if someone has done something to breach the covenant of trust, such as lying, being dishonest, keeping secrets, hiding financial assets or debts, or committing adultery. Deep-rooted trust issues can irrevocably shatter the marriage, leading to the couple blaming each other or growing apart.

Emotional Distancing 

A feeling of distance between you and your spouse is a warning sign that your relationship is headed in the wrong direction. No longer feeling like you connect with your spouse, one or both of you withdrawing from the relationship, emotional unavailability, a lack of support from your spouse, and disliking your spouse are all signs that you have drifted apart emotionally and may not be able to bridge the gap to restore what you once had.

Decreased Effort

If one or both partners give up on trying to resolve conflicts or fix problems in the relationship, it may be time to call it quits. You might be headed for divorce if you and your spouse no longer bother to try to connect or meet each other’s needs and desires. If you are having thoughts of divorce rather than thoughts of fixing what is broken, this could be a sign that splitting up is a better solution.

Differing Goals or Values

As you get older, you may change and evolve. If your spouse’s beliefs, values, principles, lifestyle choices or goals no longer align with your own, this may be too big an issue to overcome in your marriage. If you have major parenting disagreements or diverging life paths, for example, differences on these fundamental issues could lead to a divorce or legal separation.

Lack of Intimacy

A healthy marriage is more than just a practical partnership. If you and your spouse no longer share any romantic or sexual intimacy, this can point to deeper problems in the relationship. If you are sleeping apart or no longer have sex, for example, your relationship may have lost its spark. In some cases, a couple can reverse a lack of intimacy and get their spark back. In others, this issue is a sign that the marriage is irretrievably broken and you may be better off as friends.

What to Do if You Notice These Signs

Signs that your marriage is heading toward divorce do not necessarily guarantee the end of your marriage. It is up to you and your spouse whether you want to put in the effort to get back on track and save your marriage. If you believe the right choice is getting divorced instead, consult with a Sacramento divorce lawyer to help you protect your rights during the legal process. A lawyer can make the divorce process as stress-free as possible.