Could stress be leading to an unhappy, problem-filled relationship between you and your partner?
Absolutely!
While the right kind of stress is a good thing in small doses, too much of it can lead to all sorts of relationship problems.
Here’s why this happens.
An Analogy to Prove That Stress Can Cause Relationship Problems
Imagine that you and your partner are stranded at sea with nothing but a rowboat. To make matters worse, your rowboat has a small hole in it.
Key issues right now include getting back to shore, keeping the water out of your boat so you don’t sink, protecting yourself from the sun or rain, and having adequate food and water to survive.
Sounds like a great time, doesn’t it?
Imagine the relationship bonding moments you’ll have out there. Just think of it as an extended date, right?
Um. Wrong.
If you’re like most couples, you’d be frantically barking commands at each other, regularly at odds about who should do what and stressed out of your mind. Not exactly the ideal time to discuss your five or 10-year plan as a couple.
Agreed?
Stress in the real world can cause similar relational problems if you attempt to handle it the wrong way.
Stress and Your Relationship
Think of the stress in your relationship as roadblocks to a healthy, happy bond. Your job as a couple is to solve those problems so you can first survive and then thrive.
What are some common stressors that can cause serious problems? Here are a few:
- Poor sleep
- Busyness
- Conflicts with in-laws or your partner’s family
- Challenges with your children–from the baby that stays up all night crying for weeks on end to the rebellious teenager.
- Stress at work
- Job loss
- Financial difficulty or disagreement over how money should be spent
- Mental illness
- Physical or emotional affairs
- Loss of a loved one
- And many, many more
Because these events can easily put relationships into crisis mode, great care needs to be taken when major stressors arise.
Most of the problem happens when a couple is at odds about how to handle stressors. You’re essentially in freak-out mode. To make matters worse, you’re not working as a team which only adds to your stress.
The key is to view your partner as your teammate instead of your adversary. Imagine, again, the analogy of you and your partner being stuck at sea in a rowboat.
As a couple, you need to approached stressors calmly and figure out solutions together. Anything less will just make matters worse.
What if Your Stressors are Too Big to Handle on Your Own?
Then, you seek out the help you need. You don’t allow your relationship to crumble because of your stress.
You’re on the same team after all.
You’re not enemies. At least you shouldn’t be.
Here at the OC relationship Center, we totally get stress. It can be really overwhelming sometimes. But we can give you tools as a couple to overcome your stress points.
Could stress be causing your relationship problems? Sure could.
The good news is that our team can help you to work as a team again as a couple. You can stop fighting about your stressors and learn to lean on each other through the tough times.
Your relationship doesn’t need to sustain any more damage because of your stress. Now could be the perfect time to contact the OC Relationship Center to build a better foundation for a healthy relationship!
