Many industry experts believe that the isolation imposed because of the COVID-19 pandemic is going to have a drastic impact on families all over the world. When things finally calm down and the strict rules are lifted, they think we’re going to see a spike in divorce rates.
The reason is essentially just the increased exposure to one another for couples who are already having troubles. One expert noted that spikes are very common after Christmas and summer, two times when vacations and breaks mean that couples see more of each other than they do during the rest of the year.
It’s not hard to imagine that isolation will have a similar impact. In fact, it’s even more drastic. While many children have extended breaks over Christmas and summer, parents often have shorter breaks or simple vacations. If a couple has to spend 14 days or longer in the house, not ever getting a break from one another, it could really put stress on the relationship.
What may happen is that couples that are unhappy but don’t actually see each other that much — due to long work hours, for instance — may only still be together because they have so much time apart. It insulates them from the real issues in the marriage. If they have to isolate together in a home or apartment, they lose that chance to escape, and all of their issues suddenly feel much larger and more real.
If you and your spouse decide to call it quits when the pandemic ends, make sure you know what steps to take.
