Part of being married is making it through the down times, but are you able to see if there are serious problems? Sometimes something seems like a big deal to one person but it may not be a problem to the other one. So you should take a look and understand if there really is an issue.

Communication. One of the keys to a good marriage is communication. It therefore stands to reason, that a sign that a marriage is failing is when there is a communication breakdown. Ask yourself these questions: Do You and Your Spouse Avoid Speaking To Each Other? Are You Living Separate Lives? Does Every Conversation End Up In A Fight? If you have answered yes to even one of these questions then you need to find a good way to begin communicating positively again. For each couple the steps can be different, but you need to begin to rededicate time and energy to your relationship.

Absence of Sex. If you once had a good sexual relationship with your spouse and now it is non-existent this can be the sign of a serious problem. Now, if this is honestly the only problem you have in your marriage, then there actually can be underlying medical issues and you and or your spouse should see a physician. However, if there are other marriage problems involved, then this can be a power or control issue or just a lack of communication. Again, in any case an attempt to reconnect must be made. A marriage needs to have a physical as well as an emotional connection.

Power Struggles. Many times if a relationship is unbalanced, or one spouse is made to feel inferior, power struggles may arise. This is natural; however, it does need to be addressed because many times there are underlying issues of resentment and fear in relationships like this.

When affairs happen generally the person is seeking out the affection of another due to the fact they’re not receiving that in their relationship. It’s not always about the sex, it may be for the closeness. Marriages can survive cheating but the trust takes a while to return, and if it doesn’t come back then the ralationship may not make it.

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