Divorce is an incredibly common problem for New Jersey couples. Many are willing to do what it takes to avoid the end of their marriage. But there are some factors that tend to affect a large number of couples. One is the phenomenon known as the eight-year itch. This problem is thankfully one that couples can tackle by thinking ahead and staying in constant communication about their needs and goals.
What is the “eight-year itch”?
The idea of the eight-year itch is that most couples get into a rut after seven or eight years. This idea is bolstered by the statistic that most couples whose marriages do not last get divorced after eight years of marriage. The psychology behind this phenomenon has to do with the stages of life.
These stages are about seven years long. A person may meet their partner in one stage and then find out that they want something different for the next stage of life. They might find the perfect partner to have children with and then start to feel restless once those children head off to school. Other couples may face challenges when they reach a new stage in their careers. This restlessness often leads to irreconcilable differences and divorce.
How to avoid a marital rut
Divorce is always something that couples want to avoid. They often cannot avoid any sort of rut in their marriage after several years. Instead, the best way of tackling this problem is to do so head-on. Couples need to communicate about their feelings after a certain period of time and try to find ways out of their rut. This process may include starting new projects and finding ways to make a partner part of the other’s activities. Taking these simple steps may be what it takes to save a years-long marriage from the eight-year itch.
