Relationships4 min(s) read
Expert reveals one red flag sign your marriage is over amid 'divorce day'
A relationship expert has shared a number of key signs that your marriage is over after ‘Divorce Day’ arrives for another year.
January can be a long month for many - Christmas is over, money is tight, the days are short and cold - but for divorce lawyers, it’s a busy period.
Is ‘Divorce Day’ a real thing?
It makes sense that there would be more divorces during this part of the year than others, if you think about it.
People often hold it together during Christmas, but that has to come to an end at some point.
What’s more, people have just made a load of resolutions at the start of the month, which might include some… significant life changes.
According to one UK-based law firm, this all comes to a head on one specific day in January, which has been nicknamed ‘Divorce Day’.
It’s the first working Monday of the year, when the law firms are back in the office, and disillusioned spouses start ringing the phones off the hook wanting to give their significant other the heave-ho.
If you’re in a marriage and were concerned you might be about to get the chop - you’ve made it through another year, at least.
Or have you?
As law firm Slater Heelis explained: "This trend extends throughout January, earning the entire month its reputation as ‘divorce month’.”
A few weeks to go yet, then.
How can you save your rocky relationship this Divorce Month?
If you and your partner are struggling to make it work, there are plenty of sources of help out there.
Try relationship therapy, try talking to each other, trying remembering what it was that made you want to be together in the first place.
But also, recognize that the Christmas period can be a lot of stress, and that stress sometimes carries over into the next year.
Relationship coach Vanessa White has some valuable tips.
She told LADbible: "If somebody is feeling like they can't do it any more, you should slow down the process, take a pause, and make sure you're clear on what your core issues are.
"You need to make sure you're not taking impulsive action, because Christmas might have exacerbated those feelings."
But, she added, you can’t hide from the ‘gut feeling’ if your relationship is genuinely sour.
Feelings of ‘dread’ aren’t normal, and could be a sign that you need to call it quits.
She explained: "If you feel like you've almost withdrawn into yourself, feel very inwards, and don't feel like you can express your feelings or needs, that's a clear sign that something isn't right,
"If you're feeling that consistently, you do need to take heed of that. We should be able to be authentic and honest, and we shouldn't be afraid to speak about our feelings and needs.
"Almost 100 percent of my clients get that gut feeling that things aren't right, but they ignore it at first."
In the end, communication is the key - regardless of what you end up doing.
The expert concluded: "If you feel like things were once good, and you've lost your way, but you still both like each other, you can definitely try to work on that.
"You can work on clear strategies over several months to try and get the connection back.
"That could be improving communication, bringing in a professional, or even going to a GP if the issues are around physical intimacy, such as erectile dysfunction.
"It's all about communication to begin with - give your partner the opportunity to make an effort. Tell them what you miss and what you can do more of."