7 Of The Strangest Causes Of Divorce

reasons to divorceThere are numerous factors that can influence a couple’s decision to divorce.

The usual reasons are familiar. Finances are often a source of contention. Often there are disagreements over how to raise the children. Or maybe a couple just loses their sense of intimacy.

But sometimes disagreements spring from unexpected places. Here are some of the more unusual causes of divorce.

Politics

Today’s political climate is more polarized than ever and it unfortunately is harming marriages.

Naturally, married couples tend to share similar political ideologies. A recent survey found that 70 percent of married couples were made up of the same political affiliation. That still leaves millions of spouses who are married despite being on opposite party lines.

According to recent research, 29 percent of Americans either married or in a relationship acknowledge that the current political climate is causing tension with their partner.

It might seem silly for couples to end their marriage over political disagreements, but others might argue that some political beliefs are indicative of a person’s values and character. That’s why it is critical to gain a deep understanding of each other’s priorities and beliefs before tying the knot.

Pets

It might be rare for a family pet to be the reason a couple decides to divorce, but pet custody is becoming a bigger part of divorce law as couples try to sort out who gets to keep the furry four-legged best friend.

Typically, a judge will treat a pet like property with possession based on ownership rights, but there have been cases where judges have used a “best interest” standard for the pet similar to that used in child custody cases. Some courts in pet custody cases have even ordered split custody with the owners alternating periods or weekends with the pet.

Fame

The divorce of A-list celebrities Chris Pratt and Anna Faris has been all over the tabloids recently. According to E! News, one of the reasons for their split is that their relationship was destroyed by fame.

“I don’t think that’s something, when you’re an actor, that you’re prepared for,” Faris told People. “There are two different roles that you play – the one on-camera and the one in public. That’s the tricky part.

Although Faris and Pratt continue to speak warmly of each other post-breakup, they’re just the latest example of how fame cannot insulate couples from divorce and in some cases can even be the root cause of it.

Everyone’s doing it

Peer pressure is a powerful influence and might even be enough to push some couples to divorce. A Brown University study linked a greatly increased likelihood of divorce when a friend has gone through the process (75 percent higher if a close friend ends their marriage and 33 percent higher when there are two degrees of separation).

So is divorce contagious? Not exactly, but it stands to reason that talking to a divorced friend could cause you to realize your own unhappiness with your marriage.

Long commute

Commuting to work is an unavoidable way of life for many professionals, but it might be in the best interest of your marriage to make sure that drive isn’t too long. According to at least one study, if one spouse has a commute longer than 45 minutes then that couple is 40 percent more likely to get divorced.

However, the study also found couples who have spent five years or more commuting more than 45 minutes are just 1 percent more likely to get divorced than couples with shorter commutes. That seems to indicate that those couples are adept at working through all the issues involved with longer commutes.

Too much gaming

It’s easy to get sucked into a game of Super Mario Bros. or Tetris, but don’t let your video game addiction run too deep or else that could be it for your marriage.

According to a Brigham Young University study, 75 percent of spouses of gamers say they wish their spouse would put more effort into their marriage and less into video games. There is an addictive element to video gaming that shouldn’t be taken lightly and can harm your relationships if you don’t control it.

Social media

Ideally, social media would give us a way to enrich our relationships and connect with long lost friends. Unfortunately, it appears the opposite might be true.

A study published in the Journal of Computers in Human Behavior discovered a link between social media use and a decrease in marriage quality. Furthermore, a survey conducted in the UK found that one in seven people said they’d considered divorce because of their spouses’ questionable activity on Facebook, Skype, Snapchat, Twitter or What’sApp.

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One comment on “7 Of The Strangest Causes Of Divorce

    I have rights to my daughter she is 4.Her mother is not letting me know where she is because she is afraid i will establish my paternity on my 7 year old boy.she is hurting. My children by unnecessarily hideing them from me ,we split up 3 years ago and she vanished to Florida. I threatened her with parental alienation charges last year and she has let me speak to them on the phone but won’t let me see them at all she will not truthfully let me know where my babies are. I need help please i need to know what i can do legally .

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