by Jaime Lafond

Created on: July 16, 2009   Last Updated: July 30, 2009

Relationships, by nature, are not always easy and they need to be nurtured continuously in order to grow. Couples today often get caught up in the mad rush that we call life and unwittingly neglect to tend to their relationship. Unfortunately, this occurs even at the best of times. Add compounding factors, such as stress over the recession, and you may be headed for some rocky times. On the other hand, whether stress over the recession has already affected your relationship or the possibility of economic hardship is constantly looming over your head, it is possible to maintain a healthy connection and sex life despite the stress of economic uncertainty.

Effective Communication

When a relationship is plagued by stress over a recession, communication is crucial to maintaining a healthy connection and sex life with your mate. Poor communication during stressful and uncertain times could result in misunderstandings and resentment (John tells Thelma that she has to cut back on frivolous spending, but he fails to tell her that he may be on the list for lay-offs next week; Thelma misunderstands John's intentions and resents the implications of his comment). Left unresolved, this interpersonal conflict erodes the healthy connection between you and your mate and puts stress on your sex life. Many couples actually report sexual avoidance by one or both partners during stressful times; an understandable occurrence since it's extremely difficult to be intimate when you are stressed and harboring resentment toward your partner. Ultimately, it is essential that you learn to communicate effectively with your mate when stress over the recession is affecting your life so that you can maintain a healthy connection and sex life.

Family Budget

If there was ever a time that you need to sit down with your mate and hammer out a sound financial budget, it's when an economic recession is affecting, or threatening, your financial security. Even when the economy is thriving, personal finances are one of the most common sources of relationship stress and dissatisfaction, particularly when the couple have different spending habits and financial priorities. During a recession, when cash flow is limited and stress over finances is at a high, couples often report bitterness and resentment toward their partner, particularly when one partner feels that she is getting the short end of the stick (Mary is bitter with Bob because she gave up her weekly manicures, while he continues to golf every Sunday; Bob resents Mary for nagging him about golf). Again, stress over the recession is causing interpersonal conflict that ultimately puts strain on your sex life and otherwise healthy connection. Fortunately, this stress can be minimized if you and your mate work together to create a family budget that will make both of you happy. Honesty and sacrifice will enable both of you to stay within the boundaries of the family budget, alleviate stress imposed by the recession and help you maintain a healthy connection and sex life.

Don't let the stress imposed by the recession affect your connection and sex life with your mate. Trained counselors, therapists, and health coaches can help you through tough times by providing you with the support, education, and resources that your relationship needs to weather the financial storm.

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