If you ask someone what they think the top reasons for divorce are, they’re probably going to name something fairly specific. It could be something like bankruptcy or getting married too young.
In many cases, divorce does happen for specific reasons, but it’s important to remember that those reasons could also be somewhat vague. This can lead people to question the right course of action or feel surprised when their spouse asks for a divorce in the first place.
4 top reasons
According to some studies, four of the top reasons for divorce are as follows:
- Growing apart
- Abuse of drugs or alcohol
- Incompatibility
- Infidelity
As you can see from just this small sample size from one study, both groups are represented.
Specific reasons for divorce, in this case, are infidelity and drug use. It’s not hard to see how either one can impact a marriage and end a relationship. Infidelity is perhaps the quickest way to head for divorce court, as many people do not even want to try to work things out. They may attempt to get someone professional help for drug and alcohol addiction, but it’s a long journey and doesn’t always pan out.
More vague reasons are growing apart and incompatibility. They’re just as valid, but they can leave you with questions. How have the two of you changed over the years? How is that such a big deal? Why do you feel like you’re no longer compatible? Maybe you don’t even know for sure yourself; you just know that this marriage stopped working.
Mixed reasons
In some instances, these reasons mix together. Couples will tell you that they often have multiple reasons for divorce or multiple influences to consider. It’s not always as simple as pinning it down to one thing.
For instance, maybe the thing that ended the marriage was infidelity. However, maybe the couple felt like they had been growing apart for a long time. Their marriage became weaker. They stopped giving each other the love and affection that they used to enjoy. In time, this pushed both people to seek that connection outside of the marriage.
Your rights
Of course, every case is different. Every marriage is different. You may feel like you want to get divorced, but none of the reasons mentioned above may really connect with you.
That’s fine. This is just a small example to show you how these cases often begin. What is truly important is that, no matter why you decide it is time to end your marriage, you understand all of the legal rights that you have.
