When emotional separation in marriage occurs, divorce seems almost inevitable. A couple that was once deeply and completely in love may find that they barely know each other anymore. They don't talk about anything of merit, they go through the motions and they end up living as roommates or distant acquaintances. It's confusing and difficult when this happens. Coming to the realization that you and your spouse aren't connected emotionally anymore does not have to spell the end of your relationship. It can actually be the stimulus you need to get the marriage back on track.

There are several causes of emotional separation in marriage and once you've identified what the problem in your relationship is, you can start on the path to fixing it. One common reason why couples drift apart is they start living more as roommates than lovers. The frequency of intimacy is bound to change over time. This can be caused by several things including work taking up more time or emotional energy, children entering the relationship and even an ongoing conflict that pulls the couple apart.

Another of the causes of emotional strife in a marriage is resentment. This is a very difficult emotion to bear and it's even more challenging when you resent your spouse. If there's a reason why one or both of you is feeling a strong sense of resentment, you absolutely must address that. Not only is it causing you to feel disconnected from one another but the feeling festers and grows until it undermines the foundation of your marriage. Unresolved resentment can lead to eventual divorce.

Just not putting in the time necessary to talk to one another is another of the reasons why couples drift apart. There is so much to deal with and discuss when you're raising children, chasing careers and trying to balance the budget. If you don't fit in some time to talk about the relationship and what's going on with it, the marriage won't stand a chance of surviving.

Sadly, affairs also fit the bill when you're thinking about emotional distance in your relationship. If one of you has strayed, that will impact the relationship forever. It's admirable when a couple makes a decision to stick together after adultery, but they do need to address the affair and why it happened if they hope to repair the marriage . Betrayal is difficult to get over and if you haven't dealt with it properly, you and your spouse may end up as strangers living under the same roof.