Marriage

While several studies have come out over the years showing that long-term relationships and marriage are good for your overall mental health, we all know that marriage is not easy. The reality is that no matter how perfect things look at the beginning, the honeymoon period of marriage only lasts for so long, and maintaining a healthy marriage takes work and can be extremely challenging.

The good news is that this is totally normal. Think about it: no two people are exactly alike, we all have different needs, and we are all constantly evolving. It would be nearly impossible to live with someone 24/7 and see eye-to-eye at all times. Having clear expectations of what marriage looks like, and constantly working on your communication is key to sustaining a marriage. Couples therapy is a wonderful way to hone your communication styles, and a necessity for any marriage that is in crisis.

That said, staying in an unhealthy or abusive relationship is much worse for your mental health than leaving it. Although most marriage problems can be solved with better communication, compromise, and compassion, some marriages are not meant to be, and no one should feel ashamed for making the healthy decision to end a bad marriage.