Annoying personality traits do not have to lead to divorce

Many marriages in California and around the country end in divorce, and spouses sometimes choose to take this path when personality traits that may have once seemed minor or even endearing become irritating or overwhelming. Nobody is perfect and annoying habits are age and gender neutral, but bad behavior does not have to lead to divorce if couples are able to communicate openly and address these issues before they become unbearable.

Narcissistic and selfish individuals are difficult to live with and rarely stay married for very long. One of the main problem with these unpleasant character traits is that people with a high sense of entitlement tend to be very sensitive to criticism and often feel victimized when their behavior is questioned. These traits generally become more pronounced as time passes, but they can be tackled if spouses are willing to accept their shortcomings and put their priorities in order.

Not all of the personality traits that can undermine a marriage are toxic. Overreacting to minor issues or compulsive caregiving can become intolerable after several years of marriage, and avoiding arguments for the sake of peace and harmony may allow thorny problems to fester and grow. When spouses find talking about these issues difficult, couples counseling or therapy sessions could help them to work through their problems.

Spouses who file for divorce because they can no longer tolerate their husband or wife’s behavior may find it difficult to negotiate issues like alimony and property division calmly. Traditional divorce negotiations are adversarial in nature and are unlikely to be productive when emotions run high. When a bitter court battle seems inevitable, experienced family law attorneys could suggest a more cooperative approach like mediation.