Your communication with your partner is getting worse. Conflicts are happening between you two more often. Everything you do to re-establish that connection seems to only make things more stressful.

Does this sound like the situation that you’re in? Every married couple runs into issues that they need to solve. However, these deeper relationship difficulties could be potential signs of marital problems that might lead to a separation. Here are a few warning signs that a Philadelphia divorce lawyer recommends looking for if your marriage might be in trouble.

Minor Disagreements Become Conflict

No matter how long you’ve been married, every relationship needs to have a productive way of resolving conflicts.

An obvious warning sign for a marriage is if minor disagreements lead to major issues (loud arguments, hostility, or even insults). This is a troubling indication that dialogue won’t be able to solve much.

Disagreements like these can also lead to further unhelpful communication, such as couples refusing to speak to each other at all. Often in these scenarios, emotions will stew and then boil over at a later date. Having a connection with your partner is about discussing necessary topics. If you’re not succeeding with your communication, then this is a sign that your marriage could be heading downward.

Lack of Honesty in Dialogue

Try to remember the last time you communicated openly about a stressful topic, such as finances. If your partner reacted by showing a negative emotion such as anger or sadness, did you respond by either lying or holding back critical information?

If you’re starting to lie to your partner, or getting used to hiding information, then your marriage is in trouble. Lack of honesty means that there is a divide in communication between you and the person you married.

Trying to justify this lack of honest communication by telling yourself that you’re “protecting your partner” will only further that divide. Honesty is one of the fundamental building blocks of open dialogue. Choosing to remove that from communication is one of the most extensive warning signs that your marriage could be in trouble.

Absence of Trust

Emotional stability is one of the most essential parts of any relationship. If your marriage is already giving you stress, then adding uncertainty to the mix won’t help. An absence of trust in your partner means less reliance on them to handle your needs moving forward.

Have you recently felt the need to ask them where they’ve been while away from your home? Have you felt jealous about how close your partner is with another person in both of your lives? While this doesn’t mean that your suspicions are true, it is a sign that trust in your partner is decreasing.

Handling marital problems is one of the most challenging tasks one can take on in life, as emotions and life goals can be disrupted in a flash. However, looking for these key communication warning signs can be a productive process. Working with your partner to build more open communication can lead to a brighter future for yourself and having your needs more respected.

About the Author

Veronica Baxter is a writer, blogger, and legal assistant operating out of the greater Philadelphia area. She frequently works with Lee A. Schwartz, a busy Philadelphia divorce lawyer.