If Abuse, Adultery, or Addiction Exist, Is Divorce Inevitable? | IL

 Posted on September 30,2024 in Divorce

Divorce and what causes it are highly personal issues for most people. In some cases, it is not one big event that leads to divorce; rather, as the years pass, a couple grows apart, finding they have little in common. For some, money is the issue. Perhaps there is never enough money, or the spouses have vastly different ideas on how to spend marital money. In other marriages, arguments over in-laws or how to raise the children eventually occur so often that divorce seems to be the only path forward.

Many couples will face at least one of the three "A"s – abuse, adultery, and addiction. These issues are often so serious that divorce can seem inevitable. Whatever the reason you and your spouse no longer choose to be married, having an experienced Wheaton, IL divorce attorney as your legal advocate can make the process much less stressful. When you know you have someone watching your back who cares about your future, the path forward seems much more attainable.

Is Adultery the Death Knell of a Marriage?

Research across 160 cultures revealed that spousal infidelity is the most common cause of divorce. Even if a couple does not attribute their divorce directly to one partner’s infidelity, a cheating spouse negatively affects the other’s overall emotional well-being, leading to depression and low self-esteem. A study by Psychology Today found that while marriages can recover after infidelity, partners are much more likely to divorce when one is unfaithful.

In fact, a full 40 percent of divorced adults listed infidelity as the cause of the divorce. Men are less likely than women to divorce when there is an affair, and couples who stay married after infidelity often work with a marriage counselor to address any underlying issues. For many, infidelity is the ultimate betrayal from the person they believed they could trust implicitly; once that trust is gone, it is hard to regain.

Substance Abuse Often Listed as the "Final Straw" in a Marriage

Among adults who could point to one thing that was a "breaking point" in their marriage, substance abuse ranked third behind infidelity and domestic violence. When substance abuse is viewed through the lens of a chronic disease, it is a bit shocking to know that 75 percent of married couples who deal with a chronic disease will divorce. In what some psychologists refer to as a chicken and egg dilemma, substance abuse can cause divorce and can also be an effect of divorce.

An addiction can create a toxic environment in a marriage, yet many individuals turn to substance use to cope after a marriage ends. When one partner has a substance abuse issue, there is also likely to be a breakdown of communication, as well as an increased lack of trust in a spouse who is attempting to conceal their substance abuse or the financial cost of addiction.  

Does Domestic Abuse Lead to Divorce?

While you might think the answer to whether abuse leads to divorce is self-evident, in fact, physical abuse can prevent divorce in some cases. When one spouse fears initiating divorce could put his or her life in danger, they may decide to stay in the marriage – and stay alive. Ironically, a spouse who has been slapped or hit once by a partner who lost his or her temper is often more likely to file for divorce than a spouse who has been a long-time victim of abusive behavior. Abuse can be verbal, physical, sexual, emotional, and/or economic, but when abuse has been a part of the marriage for a significant length of time, fear often prevents the abused spouse from filing for divorce.

Contact a DuPage County, IL Divorce Attorney

Although some states are attempting to do away with no-fault divorce, having to prove your spouse cheated, is addicted to drugs, or regularly abuses you can make divorce much more complex. When you have a highly skilled Wheaton, IL divorce attorney from Andrew Cores Family Law Group to help you through this difficult time, the process becomes easier and faster. Our attorneys understand that while alternative dispute resolution often works well, we will battle aggressively for our clients when necessary. Contact Andrew Cores Family Law Group at 630-871-1002 to schedule your free consultation.