5 Relationship Behaviors That Can Lead to Divorce

Every marriage has its highs and lows, but certain things are deemed to bring a marriage to an end. This time we are not here to discuss the basics that would make any marriage fail such as infidelity, addiction, or physical violence; we want to shed light on other behaviors that, though seemingly of no significant impact, can take any marriage to an ugly turn of no coming back. We sometimes wonder where we have gone wrong and how something so small can destroy a marriage. But it is the buildup of what you think to be small that destroys a marriage. Here are uncommonly known behaviors that lead to divorce.

 

1. Constant criticism

No one likes to feel like they are criticized all the time. It is one thing to share constructive criticism with your partner to help them do better, but negatively commenting on the looks, personality, and beliefs with statements such as ‘Why are you always so lazy?’ or ‘why are you always under-dressed?’ will lead to frustration.

 

2. Contempt

Contempt is a result of a pile-up of negative thoughts about one’s partner and accumulated anger. It takes non-verbal forms such as rolling eyes and mocking facial expressions, and verbal forms such as sarcasm, name-calling, and passive-aggressive comments. 

 

3. Lack of communication

Communication is key in every relationship. It is worth mentioning that the majority of divorces boil down to communication issues. Bottling up, unresolved conflict, and not discussing major decisions together create a gap. For any marriage to be successful, communication is the strong foundation upon which they build on their relationship.

 

4. Accusations

Setting blame without an understanding of the situation can kill your marriage. It places your partner in a position of defensiveness. An example of accusation can be ‘of course you are late because you wanted to spend more time with your friends.’ or ‘I’m sure you forgot to buy the grocery.’

 

5. Defensiveness 

It is a natural response to feeling constantly accused or criticized. This pattern consists of shifting the blame when feeling constantly cornered and bombarded. Defensiveness is a very destructive behavior that creates an air of tension and builds barriers between couples.