Every marriage is work, but a recent divorce study suggests that a couple’s occupations may add further stress to their relationship.
The research, published in the Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, identified 15 occupations with the highest divorce rates in America.
It is important to remember that this study does not analyze whether the occupation caused or contributed to the breakup. While the data serves as circumstantial evidence that these professions may strain a marriage more than other jobs, every couple has unique personalities and stresses.
However, there are traits of the aforementioned jobs that may cause stress on a marriage:
- Late hours or irregular schedules: Bartenders, dancers, casino workers, factory workers, entertainers, athletes, servers and health care aides may not get to see their spouses as much as people working traditional hours.
- Regularly meeting new people: Bartenders, massage therapists, dancers, gaming workers, entertainers, athletes and waiters/waitresses often meet new people on a daily basis. While there is nothing wrong with meeting new people, it may bring an opportunity for an affair, physically or emotionally – yes, those exist.
- Service industries: While machine operators and roofers do not fall into the traditional service industry, the other 13 professions do. These occupations often involve people skills that may prove attractive to customers and clients.
- Opportunities for jealousy: Jealousy occurs when someone tries to take what you have. If your spouse works in a profession where beauty, flirtation or an element of professional intimacy is part of the job description, it can be painful to witness or think about. A bartender may be “hit on” at his or her job, but the appropriate response may simply be to smile and downplay it. Even absent cheating, jealousy alone is powerful enough to damage a marriage.
Many of us feel that our job is part of who we are. Occupational changes are often unrealistic or unwelcomed. Sometimes, a marriage has problems that cannot be repaired.
If you are contemplating divorce and would like to confidentially discuss your situation with an experienced attorney, contact DeShon Laraye Pullen PLC. We offer free initial consultations.
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