As time goes by, this intensity tends to fade. But if you feel like something more than a dimming spark is troubling your relationship, you don’t have to write it off as a lost cause. You and your partner may have a genuine chance to salvage a relationship if you’re willing to address the crisis directly and be honest with each other. Damage to the relationship does not have to be permanent. In fact, all long-term relationships require couples to work through problems and stop judging each other about mistakes.
Common Struggles in a Relationship
All couples face struggles and conflict from time to time, but if conflict and struggle define the relationship, sit up and pay attention. It’s time to act before you starting thinking, “Is my relationship worth saving?” According to research, here are some common relationship issues and signs of problems that can erode your closeness and connection.
You’ve stopped communicating in a healthy way.One or both of you have shut down and stopped trying.You feel you have changed for the worse in the relationship.One or both of you is constantly critical of the other.Your sex life has taken a nose dive. One or both of you no longer feels emotional intimacy.One or both of you spend too much time at work. You wonder if you still love your partner or spouse.
Dealbreaker Relationship Crises
Some problems with couples are more than just problems — they are real crises that can tank a relationship quickly. That’s not to say there aren’t ways to save a relationship with these issues. But you can’t allow them to infect your connection for long. Some of these crisis situations include:
InfidelitySubstance abuseFinancial abuse or lying about financesEmotional abuse Mental health problems Major physical health problemsMajor disagreements about child-rearing, religion, or lifestyleRefusal to seek counseling or work on the relationship
Let’s look at some of the specific issues within a marriage or committed relationship and how to make a relationship work again.
How to Save a Relationship Without Trust
Trust is vital for successful relationships, but it can evaporate almost instantly if you catch your beloved in a lie or simply can’t rely on them to follow through on commitments. Sometimes people lie to avoid causing a fight or feeling embarrassed. Of course, infidelity is the most dreaded breach of trust, but even cheating is not an automatic ending for all couples. People make mistakes and can learn lessons from them. When you’re hurting, it’s hard to imagine forgiving someone for being untrustworthy. The fact that you’re even thinking about how to save a relationship shows that you see value in it and want to find a way forward. The following tips offer a template for rebuilding the trust. Bonus Tip: Write a short paragraph about your concerns and explain why you cannot trust the other person. Show the message to your lover before starting the conversation. Sometimes a written message can get through to someone much more effectively than talking, especially if someone does not want to listen.
How to Save a Relationship in Crisis
Almost anything that happens in life can send your relationship into a tailspin. Health problems, financial hardship, infidelity, poor communication, job stress, intrusive in-laws, decreased sexual desire, the distraction of children, and outright boredom can turn partners against each other. Figuring out how to save a failing relationship might seem impossible when life’s problems overwhelm you. It can be easy to think that everything would be better if you didn’t have to deal with your significant other anymore.
Your relationship might be in crisis because you’re dumping too much stress on your partner.You might be expecting the other person to fix everything for you.Your lover might be burdening you in a similar fashion until you feel like the relationship can’t continue.
Here are some important points to consider when your relationship is in crisis: s Bonus Tip: During the process of saving a relationship in crisis, you need to think about what made you fall in love with this person in the first place. Staying connected to those good memories can help you overcome the urge to judge or criticize. Has Your Husband Lost Interest In You Sexually? 7 Ways To Reignite The Flame 21 Of The Most Heartbreaking Signs Of An Emotional Affair 108 Of The Best Relationship Questions To Ask
Can Sex Save a Relationship?
Sexual tension is a real thing, and its release could help you regard your lover with greater affection. Part of this is based in human biology. Sexual activity stimulates your brain’s hypothalamus to release the hormone oxytocin. Studies have shown that couples in the early romantic stages of their relationships have an abundance of this hormone. Having sex also produces dopamine that makes you feel happy and satisfied. Regular sexual activity also has the ability to frame your relationship around fun and pleasure. The pleasure that you give each other can often diminish feelings of resentment about other things, like forgotten chores, bad habits, or old arguments. Although verbal communication remains important for all relationships, the nonverbal communication of sex can do wonders. Good sex alone, however, is not the sole basis for a successful relationship, but it is definitely worth pursuing as a way to turn things around. Follow these steps for rekindling a relationship with sex: s Bonus Tip: A lack of sex could make you or your lover vulnerable to the temptation of cheating if someone interesting comes along. Even if your life together feels comfortable and safe, remember that the fires of passion need fuel to burn. Welcome your partner’s advances and initiate lovemaking whenever possible.
When Is It Too Late to Save a Relationship?
Although you can benefit tremendously from working hard to save your relationship, not every romantic connection survives the test of time. Some people manage to save a relationship after an affair, but it’s a very personal decision, and the answer is not the same for everyone. You might be better off on your own if the following red flags are obvious: s Do you want to save your relationship? When you’re struggling in a relationship, giving up might feel like the easiest solution. If you take this route, however, you risk losing something that’s worth saving. It’s quite possible your partner desires a good relationship with you too. So reaching out and making the effort to fix things could lead to deeper intimacy and years of happiness. To get there, you both need to take a long hard look at your own actions and contributions to the problems in your relationship. You may find you can come together and make your love stronger than ever. Framing your relationship around compromise and mutual happiness can make a world of difference. The right perspective can help both of you forgive and move forward happily. Healthy relationships can be a struggle at times, but a strong union will ultimately improve your quality of life.
