When you’re facing the prospect of a divorce, it can be hard not to ask yourself, “How did I even get here?”
The odds are high that there’s no one clear answer. For whatever reason, you and your spouse no longer feel the same way about each other that you once did – but you may share some common features with other couples in your situation. According to studies, the age you were at the time you tied the knot can actually be a major predictor of divorce.
Maybe you married too early – or too late
Sure, true love can happen at any age – but couples who marry in their teen years and couples who are over 32 years of age when they marry are far more likely to divorce than couples who wed in their mid-twenties.
Why? Well, it may have something to do with the fact that humans don’t finish their cognitive development until they’re in their early 20s. That means couples that marry while they’re in their teens really haven’t finished developing their personalities, character or belief systems. By the time they reach their 30s, they may find themselves emotionally, physically or ideologically in a different sphere than their spouses.
If you married after age 32, you and your spouse may simply have gotten “set in your ways.” It can be a lot harder to adapt to life with another person after you’ve spent a long time being accountable to nobody but yourself for the hours you keep, how you spend your free time, the way you decorate the house or the money you spend.
The mid-twenties might be the “sweet spot” for a marriage to begin simply because both halves of the couple have had time to fully develop their personalities and reflect on their goals for life, but they haven’t gotten accustomed to doing everything their own way.
Whatever the cause, if filing for divorce is the best way forward for you, it can give you the chance to regain your freedom and try again (if you want). Just make sure that you fully understand your legal rights as you go through the process.