Is marriage harder than it was 10 years ago? Why one psychologist thinks so

Marriage might be the oldest institution in the world, but it's struggling to adapt to the pressures of modern life. Registered psychologist Adisa Azubuike explains why it's more difficult today.

Marriage might be the oldest institution in the world, but it's struggling to adapt to the pressures of modern life.

According to Toronto-based registered psychologist Adisa Azubuike, marriage is harder today than it was just a decade ago.

Azubuike has been practising psychotherapy and counselling married couples for 25 years. He said that the problems faced by married couples are becoming more pronounced.

"There are more distractions for couples," Azubuike told CTV's Your Morning. "The phone is ubiquitous."

Azubuike said it is more common for couples to scroll, alone, on their phones than it is for them to walk together or talk.

People also have higher expectations for their marriages today, Azubuike said, with both men and women getting married later. According to Statistics Canada, the mean age for people getting married for the first time was 31.2 in 2020, up from 29 years in 2000. Azubuike said older people are often more entrenched in their lifestyles and might be less flexible when learning to compromise in new partnerships.

Azubuike identified several other challenges facing existing marriages. He said couples today have fewer support systems because they tend to move away from their families more readily than ever before. They've also been pressed into tighter shared spaces, where they often have to work side-by-side.