Whether or not to file for divorce, no matter the circumstances, is an extremely difficult decision to make. It is usually a sign that every other course of action has been attempted, including seeking outside professional help.
At this point, both parties have realized there is no way the marriage will function in a healthy way in the future.
Though always a hard decision, some marriages ending might prove to have more benefits than consequences. In South Carolina, the most common type of divorce is at-fault divorces. They include divorces due to adultery, physical abuse, habitual drunkenness, and desertion.
If you are a victim of one of the following situations, filing for an at-fault divorce might be your most healthy option.
1. Your Spouse Struggling With Mental Illness Will Not Seek Help
When one partner is dependent upon a substance, it can cause severe damage to the relationship, as well as the family dynamic as a whole. The effects are not only emotional, but financial as well. In addition, addiction in the household could compromise the safety of its inhabitants.
Often, addiction can be managed by participating in a 12-step program or treatment. However, if your spouse is refusing treatment, its effect on a marriage will be destructive.
Strain on a marriage can also occur if your partner has been diagnosed with a mental health condition such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Though you shouldn’t necessarily exit the marriage upon diagnosis, if your partner continuously refuses treatment, it will likely cause irreparable damage.
2. Physical Abuse is Present
A pattern of abuse in a relationship not only causes severe dysfunction in a relationship, but also among all members of the household.
Though many parents remain in an unsafe marriage to prolong stability for the children involved, they end up causing unintentional consequences. The children become accustomed to and anxious about living in an unpredictable and hostile environment. They also watch their parents as models as to what to expect in their own future relationships.
In addition, the victim will likely suffer psychological damage and go through a long healing process. In such situations, divorce is the safest way out of the situation and the most healthy decision for all members of the family.
3. Your Spouse Has Been Unfaithful
Infidelity may seem like an obvious reason for divorce, but between 50 and 60 percent of marriages that have experienced infidelity actually end up working through it.
The act of being unfaithful, however, causes a lack of trust between spouses and that trust can sometimes be impossible to fully rebuild. Some marriages need professional help and are able to become a healthy relationship again. Some can never attain the quality of relationship that existed before, and a divorce becomes imminent.
4. The Marriage No Longer Fulfills Your Needs
Though not grounds for an at-fault divorce, a spouse refusing to work to meet the needs of the partner. One partner may have lost interest over time, causing the relationship to deteriorate.
Many couples experiencing a loss of connection find their issues resolved through marriage counseling. However, over the course of time, if it becomes clear the motivation is not there, divorce may be the only option.
Filing for divorce is a decision that demands thought, time, and reflection. It will always be a difficult one, but in some cases, a necessary one. As you decide whether or not you need to file for divorce, and wonder what the benefits and consequences might be, reach out to a reliable family law attorney for advice and counsel.
