Most Common Reasons Couples Break Up

by Tricia Tongco

''You've likely heard the oft-cited statistic that 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. With such a high rate of divorce, it's easy to wonder why so many unions don't work out.

Whether you're currently single or in a relationship, you could probably benefit from knowing the most common reasons couples break up. Terry Gaspard, a licensed therapist who specializes in relationships and divorce, discussed with ATTN: the five major reasons couples call it quits and shared some great advice on how to work out the issues that can be resolved.

1. You have developed a harmful relationship pattern.

One of the main causes of divorce is a pattern known by psychologists as "demand-withdraw," which is when one person makes a request or gives a criticism to their partner, who then becomes defensive and distant, according to Gaspard...''