Stress Busting Your MarriageEmployers have been struggling with the fact that over 50% of lost workdays are due to stress related complaints [1]Many people are suffering the symptoms of busy and pressured lives; they are unable to function in their jobs and they are equally unable to function in their marriage and family lives.
Major events are a huge source of stress. When we think of events that cause anxiety we tend to focus on the negative things like bankruptcy, death or divorce. These are major sources of pressure but they are not the only ones, even happy events can cause our relationships to be put under strain and our tension levels to soar. The birth of a baby, children going to school for the first time young adults leaving home to go to college can be pressures that weigh heavily. A wedding in the family can be particularly stressful because of all of the family politics involved. Stress is often identified when the body starts reacting to the constant strain and begins breaking down, this only happens after a long process of being ‘worn down’ by daily worries. Numerous health problems are associated with stress including heart disease, cancer, depression, immune response deficiency, headaches, memory loss and obesity.
Marriages that are under stress can be similar; often by the time the cracks start showing in a relationship it is a symptom of tension and pressures that have been there for years. Marriage health problems include: lack of communication, loneliness, arguments, separation and divorce.
You may feel pressure in your marriage but cannot attribute it to some of the major factors already mentioned but that does not mean that your marriage is not suffering the effects of stress.
A tornado can rip through town and cause devastation in a few seconds, the damage is horrendous and the rebuilding project looks over-whelming. Equally erosion can cause devastation but the process is much slower, it is a gradual wearing down that is much more subtle but in the end has the same result.
Daily hassles if left unchecked can slowly erode a relationship, little things like socks being left on the floor, nagging, the stresses of home maintenance and criticism slowly cause strain on the marriage. The pressure can be bottled for a while but eventually the outflow is either an emotional shutdown or an emotional explosion. So what can you do to deal with stress in your relationship? Notice we didn’t say avoid stress, that would be an impossible task. However there are things you can do to alleviate some of the stress.
John 16: 33 (NIV) I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” ... More>>Next Page >>
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