As an older couple in Texas considering divorce, you are not alone. In fact, grey divorce rates have skyrocketed in recent years. But what exactly is this and why is the phenomenon on the rise?
Grey divorce involves anyone over 50 years of age. As for why it is becoming more and more common, there are many potential angles to answer this question.
Divorce through the years
Forbes takes a look at grey divorce, which is on the rise in recent years. When examining the why behind this spike, researchers discovered many different possible answers. First, divorce changes with the times. In the past, getting a divorce could mean social isolation and shunning. These days, divorce is a common occurrence and most divorcees do not suffer from a stigma.
Also, the human lifespan has grown in this same span of time. 50 years old is no longer considered too old to move on with your life and find love again. Many older couples who fall out of love are taking advantage of that and beginning life anew despite being older than some.
Getting to know your spouse (again)
On top of that, in your 50s people typically enter retirement. This means spending more time around your spouse. Many people your age find that without work to do or kids to raise, you do not have much in common with the person you married anymore.
After years of marriage, some issues also grow too big to ignore, too. This is particularly true if you have gone through a pattern of trying and failing to fix bad habits. Examples include gambling, financial irresponsibility, addictions and so on.
In other words, you just fall out of love sometimes. It does not matter how old or young you are. With lifespans growing and divorce becoming accepted on a wider scale, many people are taking advantage of this to start anew.