Ø      Between 1940 and 1990, divorce rates have skyrocketed.  During the decade of the 1970s, the divorce rate doubled.  This was attributed to the change in laws, which made it easier to get divorced, and to the fact that the Baby Boomers came of age and were marrying and divorcing at record rates

 

Ø      75% of men will remarry after divorce and 80% of women will remarry

 

Ø      Over 60% of second marriages end in divorce

 

Ø      Mothers retain custody of children in nearly 75% of divorce proceedings

 

Ø      Joint custody is awarded only 15% of the time

 

And consider this study of over five thousand married adults, completed in 1988.  The study included a representative sampling of all ethnic groups, age groups, income levels and family structures.  Some had children - some did not. 

 

Some had two incomes, some only one.  Some lived in urban areas, some in rural or suburban areas.  In short, the study looked at all types of people, marriages and situation.  This study revealed that 645 people were unhappily married at the time of the study. 

 

Of this group of five thousand, surveyed again five years later, those unhappily married individuals who declared defeat and filed for divorce were NO HAPPIER than those that stayed in the marriage and tried to work things out. 

 

The study incorporated more than ten measurements of emotional balance and well-being and found that divorce did not help to raise self-esteem, decrease depression or improve one’s sense of control over their lives. 

 

It would appear that divorce is not a panacea. 

 

And while it may solve some problems and relieve certain types of stress in our lives, it definitely CREATES OTHER KINDS OF STRESS we may not have anticipated.   

 

For example, once you start the wheels in motion, you must deal with your spouse and his/her reaction to the divorce, your in-laws, your children, your own immediate family, the courts and lawyers, financial issues and much more. 

 

It isn’t easy!

 

But, then you probably already know that.  So, why do you suppose so many people opt for divorce? 

 

Most of us WANT to stay married or we have tried to establish a committed relationship with a solid foundation.