A lot has been happening in our inner worlds and personal lives, even if much of our world has been put on hold. The pandemic has forced an immense amount of stress on a lot of people from job loss to perceived danger to cabin fever, and marriages are paying the price. Your marriage may be one of them.
Stress is up for everyone. That’s not a surprise. But stress levels can have adverse effects on a lot of aspects of your life. And in a world where you may be forced to only interact with your partner on a daily basis, it can be grating on your partnership, especially if there were fractures forming even before the pandemic started.
Below are some of the ways the pandemic has been impacting marriage and divorce.
We likely won’t know the full effects until many years from now.
Stress is on the Rise Everywhere
There’s a lot of stress going around. It’s not just about cabin fever, but about financial and employment security. People are scared, and unfortunately the people we are closest too often can take the brunt of that. In surveys 34% of Americans report an increase in stress in at least one category of their lives.
Divorces Are Going Up
Though it will be hard to tell the full scope until many years from now, some legal organizations have noted more than a 50% increase in traffic to their sites for divorce services. Most of those were coming from couples married within the last 5 years and those with younger children. Surveys found nearly 40% of people think COVID-19 stress is causing more arguments in their home and more than a third of people believe divorce rates are going up because of the pandemic.
Marriages Are Going Down
There has been a dramatic decrease in marriages. That’s not surprising, with so many places on lockdown and gatherings forbidden in most countries. But there are other factors: employment status and financial security. Many couples were dealt a shocking blow when the pandemic hit and find themselves in a precarious situation where marriage is the last things on their minds. This is coming on the heels of a steady decline in marriages for years now.
Related Questions
Has the pandemic positively affected marriage?
It’s not all doom and gloom. Many people have felt closer to their partners as a result of this event and have vowed to be committed stronger to them in the future.
What are the difficulties of divorcing during the pandemic?
Depending on where you live, process of legal requests and court dates may be delayed or being held virtually. But only a local lawyer will be able to help you understand what you need to do if you decide it’s time to break away from your partner.
Talk to a lawyer about your inclinations and find out what is the right next step for you if divorce is the final option on your marriage.
If you need help navigating a divorce or have a family law issue, call The Law Offices of Rappleye & Rappleye for a consultation. We have the experience and knowledge on a wide range of issues including uncontested/contested divorce, legal separation, property division, including high net worth cases, child custody, child support and more.