When news of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver separating hit the news, everyone seemed surprised. The couple had been married for 25 years, and Shriver stayed by Schwarzenegger throughout the allegations that he had groped women before running for office.
So what was at the center of their unraveling marriage? Many marital experts have suggested career stress. Couples in Marietta and throughout the country who are unable to separate professional stress from their home lives will likely turn to divorce as the solution.
One professor said that high-achieving professionals often struggle with times of transition because they are unable to control the outcome. He continued, “Thus, when forced to change, they often act out and overact because the fear of change frightens them so much.”
In many situations, people who are stressed about their positions at work, those who recently lost jobs and those who took new positions that were less prestigious often had negative emotional outbreaks. They felt depressed and often lashed out at family members. Many spouses can be supportive for a short period of time, but they grow tired of the constant negativity and decide to leave the marriage.
The financial changes that come with job transitions can also be stressful on marriages. If one person takes a position that pays less than his or her previous position, the couple may be forced to make lifestyle changes. In many situations, one spouse resents the other for forcing the change. Each bit of stress wears on the marriage, and many couples lean toward divorce instead of fixing the marital discord.
Source: msnbc.com, “Career change can do a number on many relationships,” Eve Tahmincioglu, 15 May 2011
