Marriage has always been a sacred and larger-than-life thing in India among people. Today modern society and fast-paced living conditions have created a place for marriage problems, especially in India which it’s diverse in culture and ethnicity where discussing marriage-related issue are still regarded as taboo, the problems are so deeply rooted that it is disrupting the present as well as the coming generation.
1. Cultural Expectation
Indian society is composed of rich family values, cultural traditions, and expectations from family and society and, the struggle to balance all these demands while maintaining personal life and privacy makes it challenging for couples, especially the young generation.
2. Interference from Extended Family
The majority of Indian household consists of a joint family including members like father-in-law, mother-in-law, sisters-in-law, brother inlaws, and their family, etc. This creates a ruckus in the family as there might be people coming and living together from different backgrounds, cultures, and upbringings. The continuous interference of family members among married couples causes conflicts due to differences and leads to stress.
3 Gender Roles and Responsibilities
In a patriarchal society like India where males are raised to be dominant and females are meant to be housewives. Clinging to such stereotypes can complicate relationships where females are contributing equally in financial terms. This may become challenging for the women as they have to juggle their career as well as their married life with kids and partners which can be demanding and overwhelming.
4. Financial Pressures
In this world of skyrocketing inflation and price hike where getting a stable job with a good income is like a rat race. Financial stains are bound to happen in India like every other country therefore co-operative management is important between married couples otherwise it could be challenging and stressful to manage both finance and health.
5. Communication problem
Lack of healthy communication between couples is important in marriage so that there is an effective way to express feelings which is key to any kind of relationship. In marriage, if one of the partners is not able to express themselves, bottled-up emotions can contribute to stress.
6. Expectations from Partner
In modern society, every mind is affected by movies and novels to some extent. People daydream to expect a perfect life partner and because of that end up creating an unrealistic expectation from a partner which if not fulfilled, leads to disappointment and contributes to stress.
7. Balancing Individuality and Marriage
Personal growth is important in a person’s life. Personal aspirations are an equally valuable part of life apart from marriage which could be demanding and often difficult to manage. The key is to find the balance between personal and professional aspects otherwise it could cause a rift in marriage.
Psychological Impact of stressful marriage:
- Emotional Distress: A stressful marriage is distressing and can cause a lot of negative emotions to build up in relation such as sadness, anger, anxiety, guilt, unhappiness, etc. It causes unstable marriage and in some cases could lead to even divorce.
- Low Self-Esteem: A marriage where one is not happy is devoid of any peace. A person can lose a sense of self-worth as well as self-esteem with a lack of understanding between the two partners.
- Depression: Prolonged periods of stress can affect the mental health of a person. The persistent sense of unworthiness, unlove, or ununderstanding may lead to a number of mental issues, including depression.
- Physical abuse: In society, women are mostly subjected to frequent physical abuse in a marriage. This is a traumatic experience for women in relationships that often involves sexual abuse.
- Social isolation: Married couples often withdraw themselves from social interactions as a result of conflict in marriage. People were unable to discuss these issues openly because they were afraid of society’s judgment and expectations, which led to anger and resentment.
- Impact on children: One of the most significant negative impacts of marriage is due to the impact of marital conflict on children. The constant quarrel among parents causes the children to become distraught and creates an unsafe environment where the child supports their emotions. Children experience stress as the conflict continuously subjects them to traumatic experiences, which they later express in their lives.
How therapy can help in marriage?
1. Communication improvement
One of the main goals of therapy is to enhance communication between partners alos, a therapist can provide a safe and neutral space for both individuals to express their thoughts and feelings. They can teach effective communication techniques and help couples learn how to listen and understand each other better. Improved communication can reduce misunderstandings, conflicts, and overall stress in the marriage. Therapy can help manage smooth communication between couples.
Through marriage counseling, therapy provides a safe environment for couples to express themselves without getting misunderstood. This could resolve their hidden insecurity and help them realize the important aspect of themselves.
2. Resolve personal conflicts
Talk therapy is the best-suited way to manage conflicts by providing a channel for healthy communication. They can address issues such as individual differences, behavioral problems, family matters, etc. The key to a successful relationship is active listening to your partner’s thoughts and emotions so that conflicts can be resolved and understood more healthily.
3. Room for support
A stressful marriage can take a toll on an individual’s life and disrupt their mental health. Therapy allows the opportunity to have emotional and moral support for the couples. Stress in a marriage can be resolved with the assistance of a third party who takes the shape of therapy or a counsellor and is professionally trained and equipped with abilities like empathy and direction.
