The nature of divorce stories, and why they can be wrong

The divorce rate in this country has hovered around 50 percent for many years, and while that may seem high, many people may think given the sensational headlines that usually surround the “divorce” topic that the rate would be even higher. Celebrity divorce often dominates the news, obscuring the more pertinent (and realistic) issues that are involved in divorce for your average American couple.

There are a few things to understand about these stories that will make divorce less the gossipy, paparazzi-driven symbol that it tends to be, and a more serious matter that many people face every day. The first is that these sensational stories are exactly that: meant to sensationalize and dramatize a perfectly normal process. In other words, take these stories with a grain of salt.

With that in mind, consider our second point: many divorces can end in agreeable, if not necessarily amicable, terms. The splitting couple may be on the same page in terms of how they want their divorce handled, which makes things easier for everyone involved; or the splitting couple may have a prenuptial agreement in place that simplifies the process and reduces tension.

Third and finally, there is a tendency for these sensational stories to inherently portray divorce as a “bad” or “nasty” process. However, the reality is that divorce is not a problem; it is a solution to a problem (an unhappy, unfulfilling or otherwise untenable marriage). Divorce can be an incredibly helpful device that allows a couple to move on from their unhappy relationship and start a new chapter in their lives.