Is your marriage over? Here’s how you can tell

If you’re together with someone long enough, you’re bound to encounter a few rough patches along the way. Life gets stressful, people change and sometimes even the best of couples find themselves at odds.

So, how do you tell the difference between what’s merely a bad time in your relationship and a marriage that’s on life support?

5 signs that your marriage is finished

When relationship experts look at what they’ve learned through decades of practice and research, here’s what they say are clear indications that a marriage isn’t sustainable:

1. Your spouse won’t go to counseling with you. If you’re begging your spouse to work on the issues between you and they won’t even try, that generally tells you that they simply don’t care.
2. You get stonewalled every time you address the issues. If your spouse shuts down all conversation about your marital problems, you can never begin to work on them. Thus, things will likely only get worse.
3. Your spouse won’t accept any responsibility for the problems. If your spouse is so defensive that they won’t even consider your point of view, that doesn’t bode well for your future.
4. Your spouse has already said the “D” word. It wouldn’t have come up unless they were already thinking about the possibility. There’s probably a lot more that went unsaid, but you should assume they are serious.
5. Your spouse is contemptuous toward you. Sarcasm, eye-rolling, criticism and mocking are not normal in a healthy, supportive relationship. Your spouse is emotionally pushing you away when they exhibit such behaviors.

It’s never easy to come to the conclusion that your marriage is no longer viable. If that’s where you are, don’t hesitate to reach out to an attorney for support.