Marriages in Distress

“I just can’t take it anymore!” Have you ever heard people say that about their marriage? If you are married, have you at some time had a similar feeling?

THOUSANDS of couples began married life in the warm glow of love​—or in the heat of passion—​and expected happiness to follow. “But by the time they came to see me many had reached the depths of despair,” reflected one counselor. “They had become disillusioned with their partner, with marriage, with love, and sometimes even with life.” Many of those couples have little more in common than a marriage certificate and the dwelling they share.

Some marriages are casualties of mounting stress and anxiety. Demanding jobs, shift work, and long working hours can sap the emotional reserves of the most devoted couples. Love and respect can also be eroded by financial problems, issues with children, the move to a new home, job changes, and health problems. Simply stated, the changes that come with the passing of time may create the kind of stress that can push couples apart.

Many mothers do the equivalent of two full-time jobs​—one at the workplace, the other at home. This can make them cut back on everything except their employment and caring for the children. Stress and exhaustion leave marriage mates very little time for each other. Many thus feel as if they were being sucked into a vortex of frustration and alienation. Why are so many marriages under so much pressure? What can you do to build a happy and successful marriage?