The secret of family happiness lies in the ability to forgive
American scientists were able to find out that the ability to forgive and understand is of great value, especially in the case of adultery. These human qualities allow you to save the family.
Adultery is a circumstance that often leads to family divorces and depression. It is the betrayal that is most difficult for both wives and husbands to endure, but if a person can find the strength to forgive his spouse, then later a stronger emotional bond is developed between them that strengthens the marriage.
This conclusion was made by scientists from the University of Missouri. They found out that the couple managed to maintain their relationship after the betrayal, when the husband or wife found the strength to forgive another. Not to pretend that there was no betrayal, not to harbor resentment or anger in the heart, namely to forgive. Forgiveness contributed to the emergence of a psychological phenomenon known as post-traumatic growth, through which the relationship between husband and wife was strengthened.
Researchers define post-traumatic growth as “the result of an intrapersonal struggle in search of meaning and purpose in life after traumatic experiences”. Scientists observed 587 volunteers, among whom 86% were women who were in a stable relationship (93.5% were married). However, they all faced the fact of adultery 6 months before the start of the study.
With the help of various questions, experts found out the details of the adultery, the level of remorse of the traitors and the degree of psychological experience of the faithful spouses. It turns out that people who were able to completely forgive their bad partners, after a higher response to family life and felt greater happiness. Those who could not find the strength for forgiveness in themselves experienced torment for many months after the betrayal and all the time thought about the need for revenge or divorce.