Q: How do I know when to throw in the towel—when my marriage absolutely cannot be saved?
A: The decision to divorce is personal. But one might consider a marriage over when there's no trust left in a relationship. Trust is difficult to rekindle. It can sometimes be built back, but it takes years. The same thing is true of respect.
Couples often split up in the face of an intensity of negativity between them. In this instance, discussion on any topic is going to erupt into something negative. People will make very destructive remarks about each other, or bring up the past frequently, or they won't stay on the topic, and when they start to talk, this intense negativity and anger come pouring out.
People also divorce when their goals and directions have changed, and the other partner is no longer fostering their individual growth. Sometimes they no longer share the values they once did.
This may happen when people get married too young. These individuals may just walk away from each other—not so much angry as feeling the need to move on.
