You’re angry—a lot There are many types of anger, and it helps to figure out what type you’re expressing. A deep, subconscious fear of intimacy can rear its ugly head, showing up in response to a relationship that is becoming uncomfortably close, and one way this fear can manifest is via anger. “Constant explosions of anger indicate immaturity, and immature people cannot form intimate relationships,” says John Mayer, PhD, a clinical psychologist at Doctor On Demand. Everyone gets angry sometimes, but if you find feelings of anger bubbling up constantly, or inappropriately, a fear of intimacy may be lurking underneath. The fix may not be easy, or quick, but communicating…

How you see you I becomes we, me becomes us: that seemingly simple shift in pronouns can stir a whole mess of different emotions. “Couples are often surprised within that first year they have almost an identity crisis,” says Michelle S. Park, MA, licensed marriage and family therapist in NYC. Part of it may stem from the realization that your life is now intertwined with another; that you made what will hopefully be a lifetime commitment and are, in a sense, responsible to that person, she explains. Plus, there’s wrapping your head around what it means to be “husband and wife,” and who you are outside of that role, adds Park. For some couples, the…

Addictions don’t mix at all with marriage. The worst of all addictions is drug abuse or alcoholism. As drugs are not sold legally and openly, several people are addicts of alcohol. It is easy to access a beer when you feel like. If you have no control, you will go on increasing your daily intake. Before you know it, you will be a total addict that your spouse loathes.  When an addict is active, he or she totally disregards the needs and emotions of their spouse and other people who love them. They hurt the feelings of many, become irresponsible partners and expect to get loved unconditionally. Feeding their addiction…

We all have quirky traits, certain “flaws” that our partner knows about and has acknowledged at one point of the marriage. This does not mean that these behaviors can continue. Here are some tips on how to approach different habits that might be hurting your marriage.   Communicate about little annoying personal habits We all have little pet peeves, like leaving the toilet seat up, leaving clothes on the floor or not shutting the door. These are benign habits, but they can add up and cause an explosion in your partner leading to a larger conflict. By sharing what frustrations you have with each other, you both can become aware…

How to have intimate conversations? Often married couples fall into the habit of only talking about the everyday and necessary topics related to the home, kids, and finances. The long, intimate conversations you had when you first got together have been muffled by the routines of the daily life. These were the earnest conversations that created the strongest bonds between you and your partner, helped maintain romance and trust. Try exploring whether your marriage is lacking in this department. If it is, talk about how you both can prioritize this.   What to do if more time is needed to talk? Sometimes one partner in the marriage may desire more…