Apparently it is and recent research has confirmed this idea. How this tends to work is that when you see people breaking up around you, you start to look at and question your own marriage. Peer pressure can also play a role. The more divorced people you have around you, the less likely it is that they'll be able to give you an unbiased opinion on the subject of divorce and may even be more encouraging that you seek a divorce as opposed to friends who've never been divorced.
Why do high profile relationships tend to totally blow apart with such frequency? - What, if anything, we can learn from these celebrity couple meltdowns? Is the constant focus of the press on the details of celebrity break-up a contributing factor to ordinary couples who are going through a rough patch and may be seriously contemplating a divorce?
Another supporting fact for divorce being contagious is that children of divorce are more likely to go through a divorce in their own life. Some research shows that a couple may be twice as likely to divorce if one spouse grew up with divorced parents and if both spouses had divorced parents that couple will be three times more likely to divorce than couple who grew up with both sets of parents still married.
New research data also shows that if you have a best friend who is going through divorce then the chance of your own marriage ending in divorce goes up by 75%. There has also been research on how news and opinions about divorce travels through social networks. Here's some of the other findings from the 5000 person study that was started in the 1970s:
- A person with a divorced sibling was 22 percent more likely to get a divorce.
- A person with a divorced coworker was 55 percent more likely to get a divorce than someone who works with all married coworkers.
- Even witnessing a friend of a friend's divorce increased the likelihood of a marriage breaking up by 33 percent.
- Couples with children were less susceptible to being influenced by other couples divorces.
While the idea of seeking a divorce may seem to be a daunting, regardless of how many friends and family you may have who been through their own divorce. It's important that you get the right legal advice. I offer a free confidential initial consultation where you can get your questions answered. While friends and family are vital for your emotional support, often there are a lot of myths and misconceptions about divorce, so getting some sound unbiased advice is a vital first step to helping you decide on your best options regarding a divorce.