Recognize the Signs of an Impending Divorce

Recognize the Signs of an Impending Divorce

By: M. Scott Gordon

Are there clear signs that divorce is imminent? And are they reliable predictors for divorce for couples living in Chicago? A recent study discussed in USA Today reported on the “divorce capital” of each state, seeking to identify the location in each state in the U.S. where the most divorced individuals live, as well as where divorce rates have been highest in the last year. Given that the American Psychological Association still puts divorce rates at between 40 and 50 percent of married couples (and a higher rate for remarriages), it is important to consider the numerous factors that play a role in determining the likelihood of divorce and whether couples’ therapy or other interventions can help to correct the issues that are leading to an impending divorce.

Where Are the Highest Rates of Divorce in Illinois?

Chicago residents should know that the highest rates of divorce are not in the city. Instead, the highest rates of divorce in the state occur in Litchfield, Illinois. Not only do a high number of divorces occur for residents of Litchfield, but this area of the state also has the highest divorced population at 19.8 percent. The state of Illinois on the whole has a divorce rate of only 9.8 percent, with a married population of 44.9 percent.

Where else are divorce rates high in Illinois? According to a report from Rockford 96.7, Chicago itself is not among the cities in the state with the highest divorce rate. However, numerous areas of Chicagoland are cited, including but not limited to:

  • Oak Park;
  • Lombard;
  • Downers Grove;
  • Hoffman Estates;
  • Plainfield;
  • Evanston;
  • Wheaton; and
  • Bolingbrook.

Common Signs of an Impending Divorce

In some situations, recognizing that your spouse is unhappy—and that you may be unhappy in the relationship, as well—can help you to consider whether divorce is the right choice for you, or whether there may be opportunities to repair the marriage. An article in Psychology Today lists the following as the most common signals of divorce:

  • Spouses are unable to resolve conflicts on their own and do not have any methods they use for conflict resolution;
  • Lack of interest in the emotional well-being of the other spouse, including a lack of empathic engagement with one another more generally;
  • Withdrawal of affection, or disaffection, meaning that spouses have disengaged from one another emotionally and no longer are showing affection of any type toward one another;
  • Lack of sex in the marriage, which often results from disaffection more generally, and frequently is a common indicator that she spouses simply are not connecting and that “the bonds are rapidly eroding if not already in a terminal state”;
  • Increased focus by one or both spouses on issues outside the marriage, such as their careers or extracurricular activities (this often occurs when spouses raise children to adulthood and no longer see a reason to be as connected to the domestic sphere); and
  • One or both spouses beginning to take steps to prepare for life as a single person.

Contact a Chicago Divorce Attorney About Your Case

Just because signals of divorce exist does not mean that a marriage necessarily will end in divorce. However, if the marriage cannot be repaired, a Chicago divorce attorney can help with the next steps. Contact Gordon & Perlut, LLC today.