How does stress affect couple relationships?

How does stress affect couple relationships?

Stress has been considered as the most studied exaltation for years in the field of psychology. That is why we know how it affects both personal and professional level.

Stress plays a very important role in relationships, strictly affecting a wide variety of communication, coexistence, intimacy among others.

Robert J. Sternberg, points out that The keys to a relationship are intimacy, commitment and passion. Economic problems and work overload are some of the factors that quickly alter stress harming the fullness of life as a couple.

Other factors that stimulate stress to relationships are the raising of children or the distribution of domestic tasks, generating poor understanding and communication within the home.

In this post you will find the main ways in which the problems derived from feeling too stress directly affect love relationships as a couple.

Content

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  • 7 ways in which stress affects relationships
    • 1. Disagreements
    • 2. Incomprehension
    • 3. Usual discussions
    • 4. Decrease in interest and time invested in the relationship
    • 5. Feelings of guilt
    • 6. Sexual problems
    • 7. Family problems
  • What to do to revive the relationship?
    • 1. Manage times and schedules
    • 2. Improve communication
    • 3. Feed intimacy and sexuality
    • 4. Couple therapy

7 ways in which stress affects relationships

How does stress affect couple relationships? Below knows some aspects of how they directly influence the couple.

1. Disagreements

When we are going through a moment of stress, discussions and disagreements usually arise. Stressed people show irritability and little patience, so they may begin to emerge disagreements and with them discussions  for anything.

These altercations can become serious situations, in which a simple disagreement generates screams, lawsuits, anger, bad words and other ways to respond aggressively towards the couple.

2. Incomprehension

One of the main factors that affects stress on relationships are feelings of misunderstanding and failure that perceives one of the two parts due to the bad moment for which he is going through.

Some people who support extremely stressful loads, sometimes they usually think that their partner does not understand the terrible moment for which he is going through their day to day.

It can also happen that prolonged exposure to high tension in the personal or professional sphere can generate that some people pay their stress with the other party.

3. Usual discussions

When we are altered it usually appears irritability and discomfort In one or both members of the couple, which finally translates into an increase in discussions. In couple conflicts all kinds of everyday situations are generated and of little importance, especially those related to daily coexistence or communication.

4. Decrease in interest and time invested in the relationship

Cope Let's conflict with the balance between personal and work life.

We must consider that shared time is important to maintain communication in the couple and emotional stability, the fact of Spending less quality time with the other person can negatively affect the relationship, both short and medium and long term.

5. Feelings of guilt

Another of the most common factors that arise in these stress situations in the couple is the appearance of feelings of guilt by the person who suffers from it. This feeling of guilt feels for not being able to fully enjoy the relationship, and also for feeling responsible for the other person to feel uncomfortable in that situation.

6. Sexual problems

Too much stress can lead to loss of intimacy by carrying serious communication conflicts. Stress can cause problems such as erectile dysfunction, vaginism, decrease or loss of libido.

How to increase sexual desire

7. Family problems

As already mentioned, stress produces strong discussions that exist both at the couple's level and in other areas of everyday life. That is why these inconveniences are presented in the family environment or with distant relatives.

The discomfort he produces when a person does not get along with his partner's parents can take us to The situation of getting someone's side, which psychologically disadvantages the person greatly harming the couple's own relationship.

What to do to revive the relationship?

If we want to overcome and get stress not to destroy the relationship, there are certain strategies that we must put into practice.

1. Manage times and schedules

It is important to have certain spaces between work and family, in this way we will be able to positively manage stress, we will also achieve a Harmonic balance between family and work life.

2. Improve communication

You need to open spaces to let another know how we feel and thus strengthen mutual trust. Staying silent could generate frustration and discomfort even more in the relationship.

3. Feed intimacy and sexuality

Relive intimacy and passion can help cope with daily stress. To do this, communication between the couple and reconnect through sexuality is important.

4. Couple therapy

In case the strategies do not work, the recommended thing is to consult with a couple in couple therapy. This could help both parties to cope with the consequences of stress, improving communication, strengthening mutual support and commitment.

There is no doubt that stress is very influential in our daily lives, so attention should be paid to it. It is necessary to assume its management in a positive way so that the real pressure we can have at a given time plays in our favor.

Bibliographic references

  • Biscotti, or. (2006). Couple therapy: a systemic look. Buenos Aires: Lumen.
  • Borgarello, m.AND.; Losardo, r.J. (2021). Stress prevention and burn out of the health team: the link with the quality of health care and patient safety. Argentina Medical Association Magazine 134 (2): pp. 4 - 8.
  • Christensen, a.; Atkins, d.C.; Yi, J.; Baucom, d.H. & George, W.H. (2006). Couple and Individual Adjustment For 2 Years Following A Randomized Clinical Trial Comparison Versus Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 74 (6): pp. 1180 - 1191.
  • Hüther, g. (2012). Biology of fear. Stress and feelings. Barcelona: Editorial Platform.