Most times, when a marriage begins to deteriorate, both people are aware of the situation and may take steps to save their union. Sometimes, however, this does not happen. In some cases, one party, often the wife, decides to leave the marriage without even discussing it with her partner. Statistically, the wife is more often the one to initiate divorce. Relationship experts call this phenomenon the “walkaway wife syndrome.”
What is Walkaway Wife Syndrome?
Walkaway wife syndrome occurs when the wife suddenly decides to walk away from the relationship without trying to resolve any conflicts. Walkaway wife syndrome is also called neglected wife syndrome or sudden divorce syndrome. The wife seemingly makes a sudden decision to end the marriage. However, in most of these situations, walking away from the relationship comes only after a long period where a number of conflicts have not been resolved.
Arnold & Smith, PLLC and North Carolina Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the questions “What is Walkaway Wife Syndrome?”
Why Does Walkaway Wife Syndrome Happen?
Surely everyone has felt marital discord at some time in their lives. Walkaway wife syndrome is more than a temporary feeling. A wife may decide to leave her partner due to a culmination of marital problems. Some of the unresolved matters may include trouble communicating, lack of commitment, financial disputes, incompatibility, domestic abuse, substance abuse, and disagreements over children. These problems may lead to disillusionment with the marriage, which is often a precursor to divorce.
Do Wives Leave Without Any Warning Signs?
Walkaway wife syndrome may seem to some partners as if their loved one made a sudden decision and acted upon it. However, upon closer review, there are often a number of warning signs that the marriage is in trouble. In many instances, the wife may have been feeling unhappy for months or years. The wife may start to pull away or become disengaged in the relationship. They may ask for help in resolving disagreements, but the partner ignores them. The wife often begins to resent their partner and loses an intimate connection.
Can You Save Your Marriage?
When a partner checks out of the relationship, the other person may suddenly learn of the problem and may want to try to save the marriage. The first step towards saving the union is to have open and honest communication. A marriage counselor is often needed to facilitate better understanding between couples. This can be a difficult and challenging situation for everyone. North Carolina requires parties to live separately for a period of one year before they can get divorced. That gives you time to see if you can save your marriage. You both will need to make compromises and make changes to your relationship. Unfortunately, once a woman walks away from her marriage, she may already be done with it and may be unwilling or unable to try to save it.
Walkaway wife syndrome can happen to any couple at any time in their lives. If you or your partner have made the decision to end your marriage, your next step is to seek legal guidance from a knowledgeable divorce attorney. Contact us today at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, at (704) 370-2828 to schedule a consultation.
The family law practice group at Arnold & Smith, PLLC includes two Board-Certified Family Law specialists and one Child Welfare Law specialist, as well as several attorneys with many years of family law experience that are committed to providing a powerful voice to individuals facing the often-tumultuous issues in this area of law. The range of issues our family law clients may be facing include pre- and post-nuptial agreements; separation agreements; post-separation support; child support (both temporary and permanent); absolute divorce; divorce from bed and board; military divorce; equitable distribution of assets; child custody (both temporary and permanent); retirement benefits and divorce; alimony and spousal support; adoption; and emancipation. Because this area of the law is usually emotionally charged and complicated, the family law attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC act with the utmost dedication to ensure that each client understands his or her options, and then act to achieve the best result possible for that client’s particular situation.
Source:
https://www.nccourts.gov/help-topics/divorce-and-marriage/separation-and-divorce
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/divorce-busting/202209/the-walkaway-wife-syndrome-revisited
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