Divorce

Cause and Effect of Divorce Divorce is a major cause and effect in today’s society; due to the harsh economy, unemployment, adultery, young people rushing to get married, having children out of wedlock, growing out of love or even the psychological well-being of the person involved. We all at some point in our lives have gone through divorce or know of someone that is in the process. The effects of divorce are numerous; however, divorce affects the children regardless of their age, friends and family, because they are put in a situation to choose between the two people they care and love.
In the U.S., divorce rates have been rising since the beginning of the 20th century and especially since the 1970s (Psychologytoday). What is marriage one might ask? According to Psychology Today “Marriage is the processes by which two people who love each other make their relationship public, official and permanent. It is the joining of two people in a bond that is putatively lasts until death, but in practice is increasingly cut short by divorce” (Psychologytoday).
During my childhood experience, in the era of my parents it was the man’s responsibility to financially provide for the family while the women stayed at home and did the wifely duties such as take care of the house, kids, cook, clean and depend on her husband for finances. If there were marital issues they both sat down and tried to work it out for the sake of their children and reputation. In modern day both men and women are equally independent and fail to try to work things out and “divorce” is the first option that one would choose. In the 20th century the causes of divorce are as follows:
• Addictions
• Physical and verbal abuse
• Intellectual and personality differences
• Sexual incapability
• Growing out of love
• Psychological well being
• Having children out of wedlock and getting married for the sake of the kids/pressure from parents (this would fall under ages at marriage)
• Men/Women in the armed forces that are deployed overseas for a long period
• Adultery on both partners
• Lack of trust
Statistics of Divorce - 50% of 1st marriages- 67% of 2nd marriages- 74% of 3rd marriages85% who cohabitate divorce60% of all marriages that end in divorce do so within the first decade. The National Center for Health Statistics , U.S department of health and Human Services reports that in 1940 the rate was 4 per 1000, in 1975 the rate had jumped to almost 5; just five years after that it peaked at 6, leveling off since that 1980 high. (Kelley Sullivan)
These are some of the contributions that are grounds for “divorce.” The effects of divorce vary in some situations where the entire family is affected and as a personal experience of being a divorced parent, when my son witnessed his parents’ divorce, he felt insecure, unloved and scared of what the outcome would be. Having to choose between his parents was a turmoil that he had to go through; because he loved us both this would depend on age an adolescent child make take divorce more effectively than a teenager. This is an effect most children feel, and thinking that it is their fault for his parents divorcing. Most adolescent children do not understand the effects of divorce until they are married and go through it themselves. Some hold the parents responsible and rebel against the situation. Another effect is that men and women face is trying to date again; trying to find that person that will not commit certain terms causes them to go through divorce again. Second is learning to trust again, finding someone one compatible and without any extra baggage.