Many Minneapolis residents can likely relate to doing something of which they are not proud. In fact some may even go to great lengths to cover up a past or present mistake or transgression. Attempting to hide a secret about one’s current or past behavior is often extremely stressful. In cases where an individual is married, a major secret can cause many marital problems and even lead to divorce.
A recent survey, which was conducted by a London family law firm, asked more than 2,100 married men and women about how honest they are with a spouse. While most of the spouses surveyed admitted to keeping at least one secret from a spouse, a quarter of those surveyed believed the secret to be related to an important matter and 26 percent believed that the discovery of their secret would lead to a divorce.
According to the survey, the most common secret related to some type of infidelity. Spouses also admitted to keeping secrets about financial matters, drug use and a past arrest or some sort of criminal activity. For many, the stress associated with keeping a spouse from discovering their secret has put a strain on their marriage and caused them to experience sleep problems, mood swings and nagging feelings of guilt. Twenty-five percent of survey respondents had been dealing with the stress of keeping a major secret from a spouse for 25 or more years.
Honestly and trust are incredibly important in any relationship. In a marriage, learning that a spouse was unfaithful or has a dark past may indeed spur a husband or wife to consider divorce. However, keeping a major secret from a spouse can also be stressful and cause problems that may lead to divorce. The main takeaway? Be honest with a spouse. A healthy and loving relationship and marriage should be able to weather all storms.
Source: The Huffington Post, “Survey Says 1 In 5 People Are Keeping A Major Secret From Their Spouse,” Taryn Hillin, Aug. 1, 2014