If perpetual disagreements or unresolvable marriage conflicts are not handled well, they can turn into marriage-killing deadlocks that resurface regularly, causing more emotional distancing with each return. Here’s what the cycle looks like:

Couples have the same argument repeatedly – with no resolution. The words exchanged follow a well-worn track driven by personalities and previous patterns of arguing. More time and energy are spent attacking each other than exploring the issue.

There is no capacity for empathy or affection while discussing the issue. Rather than making progress toward a solution, husband and wife are pushed further apart emotionally.

The argument stumbles to an end because there’s no more time, one person concedes, or a door slams and someone opts for retreat. Read more