Communication problems in marriage

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simplesong77

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This may be long, but here we go…

My husband and I have been married for going on 5 years this summer, we have one child (2). I would say our marriage is pretty good, we are both happy 80-90% of the time, things are usually happy and we get along. However, that 10-15% of the time when things aren’t going great, it’s pretty bad. I think we both have trouble communicating with one another and it seems like we keep having the same type argument over and over and over again. Other than this issue, things are great. I’m wondering if we should go to counseling or seek some sort of outside help. I’m not sure what else to do, this keeps resurfacing and I feel like it’s getting more and more often. It used to be once every few months, now I feel like it’s at least once a month, or more. We’ve talked about it several times but it doesn’t seem like it’s making any progress.

Here’s an example…My husband was just deployed for 3 months (not in combat, just overseas working a few months) and got home a few days ago. Everything was wonderful until about day 3 and then he started noticing things around the house that hadn’t gotten done that I had planned to do while he was gone. Then he began accusing me of being lazy, not caring about our stuff, not taking care of things, etc, etc. He even blamed me for the fact that his car was making a weird noise when he was driving it today, saying that I didn’t drive it enough while he was gone and he doesn’t trust me to take care of things. Of the 3 months he was gone, I was only home a few weeks of those (lots of traveling, staying with my family out of state, visitors staying with us, etc). He knew this and was okay with it, and to be honest, I was just exhausted when I was home and really didn’t get to nearly as much around the house that I was planning on. None of it was life threatening, we’re talking about minor drywall repairs, re-painting a bedroom, organizing the basement, etc, cosmetic things just for us…nothing that needed attention ASAP. I knew it was important to him to get these things done, but at the end of the day I just didn’t have the energy sometimes. Some of it did get done, but probably only about 10% of what I had planned to do. I never told him that I got it all done, he knew what was done before he got home, and at the time seemed fine with that.

He then starts to not talk to me much, he’s distant…and unless I has him a direct question he doesn’t have much to say, kind of like he shut himself down from me. This is day 3 after being gone 3 months! I am so upset that he is being like this! I just want to enjoy him being home and hang out as a family. He’s so focused on things that he wants to get done around the house and I feel unimportant to him. Today we spent the day going to Home Depot and an outdoor equipment store because he is so focused on it and he spent a few hours working on stuff in the yard alone.

He needed to do a few things at work this afternoon and my daughter and I were going to tag along, so I asked him what time he was planning on going…he said “I don’t know, maybe 5”, so I said “okay, well, I was just wondering if I’d need to jump in the shower soon…or?” and then he basically went off of me and said that I can never make a decision and that he doesn’t want me to come anymore and that I can just stay home. Sooo, that’s what I planned on doing for the next hour. Then an hour later he is asking me if I’m coming or not because he is leaving in 10 minutes. I told him “no, you told me he didn’t want me to come so I’m staying home”. So he left, no kiss goodbye.

Ugh. I just feel like there is all this tension and this happens quite a bit lately. Normally there is no resolution, things just fade away in a few days and then resurface again a few weeks/months later. So exhausting. I just want to enjoy having my husband home and for us to be happy with one another. When it’s good, it’s awesome…when it’s bad…it’s exhausting and I feel like we get no where. Help! I’m pretty sure we both have issues communicating and maybe his expectations of me as a wife are too high…I don’t really know. I often feel like I’m not good enough and never do anything right, he is always the one to lay the blame on me. I can honestly say I have never started an argument and never directly flat out blamed him for anything. I would never do that to him because I wouldn’t want him to feel inadequate, but I feel like he does it to me all the time. 😦
 
What worries me the most is that in moments of anger he has briefly brought up the whole “D” word, which is crazy to me…I wouldn’t ever even imagine to say that to my husband. And this is the same person who always tells me he would never, ever Leave me. I’m positive he wouldn’t seriously consider leaving me, it’s just the anger talking. It still doesn’t make me feel any better, though. He has never really apologized for that either… 😦
 
Deployments are hard but reunions are harder. My husband just got home from Liberia. He’s heading out again between Nov-Jan. It’s never ending it seems. A lot of what you are saying is normal and it takes time to readjust. Hang in there. I’m praying for you
 
The stress of military life can be hard on any marriage. I think that you should be talking to a professional counselor instead of having these silences. Any time one partner mentions divorce, it is a danger sign. Ideation eventually becomes reality.
 
Thanks…usually when things are like this I always consider talking to someone, but then they get good again and the thought seems unnecessary. So, I’m not really sure what to do. I don’t feel like this is really related to the deployment overall, we always seem to have this same argument about me not caring and him being disappointed in me, even if he’s been home for 2 years straight. When he is stressed or something doesn’t go right for him it seems like it always gets taken out on me in some way. It is definitely worse when my husband is stressed.
 
MFLC are anonymous and free. They are a great resource or you can call militaryonesource. I’ll be honest with you though. Since 9/11 my husband has been gone 6 complete years and part of another 4. Reunions are the hardest time. There is a complete disconnect and it takes time to come back together. Some couples will have an initial honeymoon period lasting up to a couple months, but not all couples have that period. Our soldier/airman/marine/sailor has not had any family life and is coming from a very controlled environment. Things we take for granted (noise from kids, messy yard, tall grass, etc) are all new for them and it takes a long time to readjust. My husband’s last deployment was also non combat (Liberia) and it seems to be the hardest adjustment for him. There was no honeymoon period this time but I’m hoping that the “real homecoming” happens sooner. I find that the less I engage and the more space I give him the faster he adjusts. You say he’s only been home a couple days and from experience I believe those problems are normal. Give him at least a month to get his feet back under him. In the meantime call the MFLC or stop by their office.

My husband has been home a little longer than yours and he just now is at a point that we can have a decent conversation but only about simple things. Anything that resembles a disagreement will set off an argument. I’m not concerned about it yet. It’s the same cycle we always go through and most of my neighbors do as well. Early in our marriage we both threatened divorce on a few occasions. Neither of us really meant it, but it was during a time that we were well beyond our stress tolerance and neither of us knew when to step back and let things cool off. We thought we needed to always talk things through especially when he was just getting home. But these guys (and ladies) need time to adjust. We are so happy they are home (they are too!) but they are tired of tight quarters and want some space. We on the other hand are tired if being alone and want togetherness. We smother them and are offended when they pull back. It’s a cycle and it needs to be broken or else it gets worse. Don’t let it get you down. You are in my prayers.
 
You guys might find a Marriage Encounter weekend helpful. It is a communication workshop for married couples, who have a good marriage, but could use some help communicating with each other. Call your local parish or diocese marriage office to get more information and schedule a time.
 
I have thought about marriage encounter…we did the engaged encounter before our wedding. We are leaving for a week in the Caribbean on Sunday- I’m just hoping we are doing better by then at least and can fully enjoy our vacation. Then I’ll start looking into things after our trip. Thanks
 
Thanks…usually when things are like this I always consider talking to someone, but then they get good again and the thought seems unnecessary. So, I’m not really sure what to do. I don’t feel like this is really related to the deployment overall,** we always seem to have this same argument about me not caring and him being disappointed in me**, even if he’s been home for 2 years straight.** When he is stressed or something doesn’t go right for him it seems like it always gets taken out on me in some way. **It is definitely worse when my husband is stressed.
He should not be doing those things. None of us is perfect. We all have our failings and weaknesses. But a husband should not be pointing out his wife’s weaknesses, real or imagined. He should be praising her strong points. A married couple is a team, not adversaries.

This is something to talk to a counselor or your pastor about.
 
I would encourage you to get counseling, even when times are good. Go by yourself so you get to know someone you trust, even if things are going well. Then when things get stressful or tense, you have someone to turn to for personal advice.

Are you familiar with Gary Chapman and the 5 Love Languages? It sounds to me like your husband’s love language may be “acts of service.” If so, he feels most loved when he sees you doing things for him, and it may feel like a personal affront or feel like you don’t really love him when you choose not to (even for legitimate reasons). If this is the case, then you may be trying to demonstrate your love through quality time or verbal affirmations when really he’d feel most loved if you were to patch the drywall.
 
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