How to Survive the 7 Year Itch in Marriage?

All of us have heard of the seven-year itch. The phrase which became popular with a 1952 Broadway play and a Marilyn Monroe-starer 1955 movie is today a widely accepted phenomenon. The concept is based on the belief that couples start to lose interest in their better half and get antsy about their relationship around seven years into their marriage.

Several studies that have been conducted on the subject matter have suggested that people in marriage usually get emotionally disconnected and stray physically somewhere around the seventh year of marriage. This is when you start to ask yourself, ‘did I marry the right person?’ or ‘is has the marriage turned out the way I wanted it to?’. Also, it is not just married couples who become victims of the seven-year itch, but everyone who is in a committed relationship is at risk.

In case you are wondering why seven years and not five, six or eight then you should know that seven is the unluckiest number, at least in the US, when it comes to love. This is the point where the marital bliss reaches an all-time low and divorce rates are the highest.

One theory suggests that a couple gets hitched, have kids and split soon after. Since almost 70 percent of the couples report their relationship declining around a couple of years after the birth of their child, that sums up to be around the 7- year mark into the marriage.

Are you reaching the seven-year mark in your marriage? Is your relationship already in the deep waters? Well, then you need not worry as we are bringing you some easy tips that will help you beat the seven-year itch and stay with the person that you vowed to spend your entire life with. Check these out.

#1. Start With Little Acts Of Love

When it comes to love, it is the tiny little things that matter the most. After a few years of marriage, people start to take each other for granted, and it soon starts to have negative effects on their relationship. If you want your marriage to survive this excruciating test of time, then you need to show your partner that you still adore them like you once used to and are always ready to go the extra mile for them.

If you are a guy trying to make your wife fall in love with you all over again, then get into the same phase that you once were when you tied the knot. Surprise her someday with breakfast in bed or little gifts. Ask any women; nothing says ‘I love you’ louder than a pair of shiny earrings. Surprise her with flowers or make dinner for her every once in a while. Also, you would be surprised to see how much simple compliments can work in charming your women. Make time for them whenever they need and show them that nothing in life is more important to you than her.

#2. Start Dating Your Spouse

Wouldn’t you agree that dating is the best period in every relationship? It is when you are getting to know each other and exploring each other’s strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, and more. When dating, we do our best to impress that other person, no matter how difficult it may be at the time. However, as soon as we begin a relationship with them, all the amazing time that we used to spend together starts to wash away, and within a few years of getting married to them, it is almost finished.

If you want to stay in this marriage, we suggest you bring back those intriguing days when just the thought of spending time with your partner filled you with joy and excitement. Dating is very important for a relationship, no matter how long you two have been together. You would be surprised to learn how many things are there that you still do not know about the person that you have been living with for so many years.

Dating your spouse is not as difficult as you may think. Just plan a day of the week when you two will go out, without your kids, if you have them, and spend some quality time together. Take your partner to all the places that you used to visit in the early years of your relationship and watch the love reach its past glory once again.

#3. Mend The Communication Gap

The most common reason that relationships and marriages break is that people cease to communicate. Long conversations that once could sprawl over the entire night dry up to routine calls regarding mundane life things. We understand that you now have a lot of responsibilities on your shoulder like paying the bills, taking care of the kids, establishing your career and much more. But do you think it is okay to let your relationship with your spouse over these things? Also, it could not be that difficult to take a little time out from your daily routine to ask your better half how their day went, is it?

You may be starting to go on a date with your spouse but a one or two-hour conversation in a week is not going to help your marriage a lot. Instead, have at least 20 minutes in a day when you two can talk to each other, about each other, without any distraction. You can talk to them when you wake up in the morning, call them when you are at work or simply indulge in some pillow talk before you guys go to sleep. Communication is very important for every relationship so take some time out of your routine just to talk to your partner if you wish your marriage to go on.

#4. Offer The Emotional Support They Need

Another common reason that relationships and marriages tend to expire is that people get emotionally detached from the person that they could once do anything for. Every single one of us needs a source of emotional support in life so we can handle all the problems that we have. Your husband does not need you to tell him how to handle rejection in business, or your wife does not need your advice on how to deal with that male chauvinist colleague, they just need you to be there and listen to their problems. All they need is your emotional support, telling them that they can handle whatever adversity life may throw at them.

Sometimes, you may not even understand what their problem is really about, but that is not what you are here for. You are here to make your partner feel better and stronger in their time of despair and help them get through the tough times of life.

BTW, we happen to have a few tips if you are wondering how to deal with rejection in business or a male chauvinist person at work. Check these out.

#5. Keep The Physical Intimacy Alive

Well, we can’t emphasize more on this. Physical intimacy is paramount for every relationship, and if there isn’t enough intimacy left in your relationship, then we suggest you bring it back before it is too late. You can think of intimacy as a need for all of us, and when that need is not fulfilled in our marriage, we tend to stray looking for another source for it. Do you want that to happen in your relationship? We guess not, right?

So, get intimate with your partner on a regular basis, showing them that you still find them attractive and are drawn to them. Having to take care of kids or having too much on your plate at work are just excuses you or your partner may be saying to self. Taking time to do something for your partner, even if you are not too into it, is what a marriage is all about. Remember, what’s at stake here is your wedding.

Wondering what is more important in a relationship, physical intimacy or emotional intimacy? We have something here that might be able to help.

#6. Go For A Second Honeymoon

How long has it been since you last went on a romantic escapade; just the two of you; no kids, no family? Well, the answer is ‘too long.' What better way to rekindle your love after years of marriage than going on a holiday with your partner where you can spend time alone with your partner, forgetting about your parents, kids, neighbors, and boss, and exploring beguiling cultures and beholding astonishing sights.

Do you guys love spending time on the beach, soaking the sun and admiring the scenic views of the ocean? Then here is a list of the best beach destinations in the world that will be just perfect for your second honeymoon.

#7. Try Counseling

The last thing that we would like to suggest if the seven-year itch is affecting your marriage is to try counseling. Many couples avoid going to a marriage counselor because they are afraid that it will bring to light the cracks in their marriage but you have to think for yourself. What would you rather have? Going to a marriage counselor or watching your relationship fall apart right in front of your eyes?

So, this is how you can survive the 7-year itch and bring back the unforgettable days of the past. Do you have some tips that you would like to share with our other users who are suffering from the seven-year itch? Then share those with us using the comment section below. We would love to read what you have to say.

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