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Will inflation get the better of love stories? In any case, this is what a new British survey suggests, which identifies the current economic crisis as one of the main potential causes of a breakup in 2023…
The inflation that is raging across the whole of the European continent has many impacts on our purchasing power: our daily purchases, our leisure activities, our outings and even the desire to adopt pets! But according to a recent survey carried out for the English association Relate specializing in marriage counseling, another aspect of our daily lives would be threatened by inflation. And not least, since it would be our life as a couple.
Couples with children more affected
The survey even goes so far as to qualify the rise in the cost of living as one of the most frequent potential causes of separation in 2023. Not really happy news in these times of crisis, when many people hope to start this new year under better auspices.
The survey was carried out among 2,033 heterosexual adults in a couple. More than a third of them (35%) confess their fear that inflation will put pressure on their relationship in the coming months (39% of men and 31% of women). A concern that is particularly observed among couples with children, note the authors of the survey.
Our study found that men are more likely to worry about the #CostOfLivingCrisis causing relationship breakdown this year (39% of men and 31% of women). We also know that men are less likely to talk openly about their mental health and relationships or seek support. (3/4)
—Relate (@Relate_charity) January 9, 2023
The income gap between two partners is also mentioned as a source of tension within couples. “Financial worries are a problem for many couples and families we meet – especially when household income does not keep up with the rising cost of living“, explains Josh Smith, marriage counselor and consultant for the association Relate.
Living under the same roof, not always easy…
Another factor can also explain the link between inflation and romantic separation, especially among young couples who will move in together after a few months, with a view to “sharing the bills”. But living under the same roof is an important step in a relationship, and doing it in a hurry could ultimately lead to an eventual breakup.
The choice to publish this survey in January is no coincidence: according to divorce lawyers, the beginning of the year is a period traditionally associated with a peak in romantic separations. A phenomenon that can be explained by the stress, even the anxiety, experienced during family reunions at the end of the year celebrations. Or by the desire to take advantage of the beginning of the year to make a new start.