Digging into the many reasons for divorce

Divorce isn’t simple. It does not always happen for a few similar reasons. While many people point to major issues like infidelity or abuse, there are often many other reasons to consider. This is why people on the outside often feel surprised when a couple splits up — even when it makes perfect sense to the couple themselves.

For instance, here are some reasons couples cited for wanting to end their marriages:

• They did not have enough counseling or education before getting married.
• They had significant religious differences that they could not work through.
• They suffered from health problems that took a toll on the marriage.
• Their family did not support the marriage from the beginning.
• One or both of them struggled with addiction or substance abuse issues.
• They were simply too young when they got married and they realized they wanted a divorce as they grew up.
• They ran into financial troubles that put stress on the relationship.
• They argued too often and just felt like the marriage was full of conflict; even if they made up after the fact, they could only live like that for so long.
• They did not feel committed to the marriage, despite knowing how much of a commitment it was when they said their vows.

In many cases, you have multiple issues at once — such as addiction issues that lead to financial problems or religious differences that lead to a lack of commitment.

No matter why you are getting divorced, it’s a big step in your life. Be sure you know exactly what rights you have.