No one enters into a relationship thinking it will be easy, or rather, they shouldn’t: 42 per cent of British marriages end in divorce . No wonder Oscar Wilde declared it “the triumph of imagination over intelligence”. But with effort, many problems can be worked through.
As a Relate relationship and sex therapist, every day I help couples overcome issues. I’ve seen first hand there are several common “danger zones” that can derail even the strongest unions . Here’s how the key ones tend to play out and what to do if you encounter them.
.. Micro-cheating Since United Kingdom television stars Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford announced their split, the tabloids have gleefully reported that he’s been following scantily clad ladies on Instagram .
Whilst that has occurred since his marriage ended, these seemingly harmless small behaviours can cause friction in a relationship . It’s worth bearing in mind that your partner may consider “liking” a suggestive post as micro-cheating. The same may be said of flirting with an ex on social media or using porn.
Everyone has different boundaries on what’s acceptable. I’m always surprised that couples never discuss what they consider is crossing the line until there’s a problem. One person thinks sending a “kiss” emoji to an old flame is fine, but their partner sees it as them “leaving the door open” or not being fully committed.
Trust issues are often at the heart of the problem. I find that particularly f.
