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5 Reasons Couples Get Divorced After Decades of Marriage, According to Experts

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26.10.2026

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5 Reasons Couples Get Divorced After Decades of Marriage, According to Experts

Infidelity isn’t the only reason marriages end. Sometimes years of emotional distance, resentment, and neglect do just as much damage.

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After decades of marriage, some couples have gotten so used to being unhappy together that they hardly notice it anymore. They go to work, come home, eat dinner and spend the evening on opposite ends of the couch.

The divorce rate among Americans over 50 doubled between 1990 and 2010, according to research from Bowling Green State University. And when researchers interviewed 52 divorced adults for a separate study, 75% cited a lack of commitment as a major reason their marriages ended. Infidelity and constant arguing were also common. Here’s how relationships can deteriorate after years together.

1. The Kids Left and the Conversation Went With Them

For years, there’s always something........

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