
Most of us tie the knot with the best intentions — so why are 40 to 50 percent of all marriages still ending in divorce?
A few months ago, we learned that fewer college-educated couples who marry later in life are getting divorced. Hooray, we thought, finally some good news about marriage. But the fact remains: Nearly half of all unions in the United States continue to end in divorce. Despite the many unique life experiences and personalities that various couples bring to the table, relationship experts are able to narrow down seven reasons most couples decide to call it quits. Rather than reading these with sad eyes, couples can learn from others’ mistakes and put in the work now — in order to avoid a sad split later on.
1. They harbor resentment
We all make mistakes in our lives and in relationships. Most of them (and some might argue all of them) are forgivable as long as the person at fault is willing to accept blame and repair it. But that doesn’t mean his/her partner is always able to move past a problem — and the resentment that lingers is what can ultimately destroy a marriage. “If you’re feeling resentful of anything — that’s a definite warning,” said Dr. Tina Tessina (Dr. Romance), a licensed psychotherapist who has been practicing for 30 years and is the author of 13 books about relationships. “Resentment is like rust that can eat away at the foundations of the relationship. You need to talk about it, get it resolved. Arguments that won’t go away and keep repeating are also signs of trouble.”