Is the itch real?
Research isn’t consistent, and it’s been called the 3, 7 10 and 12 year itch. Looking at the different studies a few significant things stand out.
Early Marriage Years are the most vulnerable
Most divorces happen within the first 7 years of marriage. The early years are the high risk ones.
Stressful Circumstances Hurt
Unhappy marriages are correlated with stressful life events. Some studies say women re
port the most unhappiness in marriage about 10 years in. And this coincides with the height of career and parenting stress. In fact marriage unhappiness can be correlated to the stressful events we can all anticipate. Events like having a baby, raising adolescents, and the death of a parent.
And the good news is…
When people are surveyed 5 years after they reported being at the height of their dissatisfaction 85% of the time it was much better. And this is only by waiting.