Like other couples, you probably never thought when you got married that you would consider getting divorced. What may have started as a fleeting thought might now consume you.
You aren’t sure whether your relationship has reached a point where the two of you would fare better apart than you do together. You want to be certain, especially if you share children with your spouse.
Your marriage may be in trouble
First, no one deserves to suffer abuse at the hands of someone who professes love to you. If your spouse abuses you and/or your children, your first priority is to find somewhere safe for you and/or your children, which may require police involvement. Thereafter, you can work toward ending the marriage. Having said that, other signs may not readily put your life at risk, but they do indicate significant issues in the relationship:
- You and your partner don’t communicate properly, if at all. In fact, you may actively avoid talking to one other.
- The physical and emotional intimacy is gone or has gotten to the point where neither of you wants to make the effort any longer.
- One or both of you no longer want to take the time to address your issues, let alone attempt to resolve them.
- Either you don’t respect or trust your spouse, or your spouse doesn’t respect or trust you.
- Your spouse announces that he or she is having an affair and wants to leave you to be with the other person.
- Your partner controls the finances in an unhealthy way such that you do not know anything about the family’s financial situation.
If you have children, they may even come to you and ask the two of you to divorce. This would serve as a big indicator that something is wrong in the marriage.
You don’t know where to go from here
If one or more of the above circumstances fits your current marital situation, you may find yourself contemplating divorce. More than likely, you aren’t even sure where to go from here.
If divorce is appropriate for you, you may be able to work out a settlement with your spouse that addresses all the issues, or you could find yourself going to court. In either case, it may prove useful to gather as much information as possible about the process — and your rights and options — before moving forward.