In recent times, cases of divorce are becoming prevalent in our society. No doubt, marriage is not a bed of roses, some couples tend to give in to the divorce option when faced with difficult situations.

Making use of data from 4,000 divorced adults, the Austin Institute for The Study of Family and Culture identified the top reasons for divorce to include infidelity, spouse unresponsive to needs, incompatibility, spouse immaturity, emotional abuse, and financial problems among others.

Without further ado, here are common causes of divorce in marriages.

• Lack of preparation

Just like every other situation, if you fail to plan for marriage, then you’re planning to fail.

Marriage requires a high level of emotional, psychological, and even intellectual preparations — not just financial and physical.

A marriage that is based on an impulse decision often fails most of the time. This is because, after the wedding, there would be issues such as incompatibility, and lack of understanding, among others, that couples were not prepared to face.

According to divorce statistics, a top reason for divorce is a lack of compatibility which causes almost 41% of divorces.

• Lack of communication

This is one of the major causes of divorce. Communicating often is the foundation of any sound relationship. Couples who find it hard to express how they feel to each other tend to give in to divorce easily.

In every relationship, there should always be constant communication which will serve as a driving force. When couples hold on to each other’s emotions, they gradually drift apart and that may lead to divorce.

In such an instance, divorce happens when couples feel isolated and lonely and stop caring about one another altogether.

Poor communication is one of the biggest reasons for  65% of divorces, according to a study.

• Trust Issues

If a marriage lacks trust, insecurity is inevitable. When a person doesn’t trust his partner, they get suspicious about everything and anything which may lead to frequent disagreement.

If it persists, it may become a major problem that could bring about divorce. Therefore, it’s advisable you trust your partner in order to give them a sense of commitment and belonging. When this is established, it will be so hard to experience insecurity and lack of trust.

• Infertility

Infertility is a big deal in contemporary marriages which makes it a common reason for divorce.

When a couple stays together for years without having kids, there is a tendency that they will go through a divorce.

This is because they will — at some point — go through different “tribulations”, “advice” and “questioning” from all and sundry.

• Infidelity

Spousal infidelity is another common cause of divorce in the world. When one partner cheats on the other, it usually damages the relationship and leads to a breakup.

People feel betrayed when cheated on because they feel their commitment, truth, and love were taken for granted. Divorce tends to be the final resort during infidelity because people find it hard to forgive and forget the pains caused by a cheating partner.

• Domestic Violence

It saddens the heart to admit that there are still abusers who maltreat their partner and kids rather than love them as promised.

Cruelty and disrespect, violence and narcissism, restrictions, humiliation, and physical assault are some factors that lead to the collapse of marriages.

Domestic violence is a huge problem in marriages that needs urgent attention and a long-lasting solution.

• Addiction

Addiction to alcohol, drugs, or social media is also a common cause of divorce. Being addicted to something means you always give your all to it, thereby reducing the attention and care you give to your partner.

A person who is married to an addict will see no good in the union and embrace divorce. This is because despite having partners, they still feel lonely, unloved, and unappreciated.

According to Divorcenet, between 10% and 35% of people said they divorced because of their spouse’s drinking or drug problems.

Some signs your partner might be taking substances include:

• changes in sleep, appetite, and hygiene
• secretive behavior
• sudden mood swings
• paranoia or other personality changes
• neglecting work or family responsibilities
• abandoning old friends or activities
• an unexplained need for extra money, and
• difficulties with attention or memory.

Meanwhile, whether to go for divorce or not depends on the gravity of issues one is dealing with in marriage.

Tips on how to save your marriage from divorce:

• Communicate constantly. Always try to make time to connect lovingly with your spouse every day.
• Get counseling. So you can decide to visit a professional marriage counselor or a trusted experienced person.
• Be committed, loving, and faithful to your partner.
• Get to identify the problem and find your way around how best to resolve it amicably.