How coronavirus is affecting relationships

Really, who hasn’t been affected by coronavirus in one way or the other? If you are not coping with low business, fear of job loss, loneliness and anxiety, you are probably dealing with another problem altogether.

Not even relationships have been spared by this pandemic. Don’t get me wrong, I know there are those doing well and using this time to mend their differences and create stronger bonds. Commendable!

Spending too much time with your partner

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On the other hand, adults generally love their space. Even when you love your partner too much, it’s normal to feel like you want to some space especially when you have differences. Sadly, with quarantine, curfew and people working from home, you end up being with your partner for longer hours than you are used to.

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If you had pre-existing problems in your marriage, it’s even tougher because all the pressure arising from COVID-19 is not making it any better. What ever happened to sticking to and loving your partner in good and bad times? It’s no wonder that the Cabinet Assistant Secretary for Health recently announced that there was a rise in domestic violence, gender-based violence and even sexual offences. This shows you to what extend relationships have been affected by coronavirus.

Why relationships are suffering during quarantine

From an expert point of view, relationships and family therapist Grace Kariuki argues that increased friction being experienced in relationships is due to a combination of several things. For instance, the curfew and ‘stay at home’ directives have taken away the opportunity to go and relieve their stress.

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“People whose release includes travelling, going to entertainment spaces, meeting up with friends, going upcountry on weekends to check on projects, church gatherings like Bible studies and Keshas, etc, may experience an increased sense of pressure.”

Without these avenues, Grace says that couples are therefore bound to experience excessive emotional stress leading to aggressive behaviours.

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Being in the relationship for the wrong reasons

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Another reason why your relationship might be struggling during this quarantine period is if you are in it for other reasons other than love. Being with this person that you do not love can trigger fresh anger and resentment towards your partner and this too can lead to aggressiveness.

Grace adds that anxiety over job security, loss of income, financial stress, parenting stress, fears of the future, and low business in these times are also contributing factors to strained relationships.