Marital Problems

Abstract

Although patients rarely request marital therapy from their physician directly, it is not uncommon for marital problems to be brought up indirectly or in relation to other problems. They may be presented to the physician following a general health care visit or perhaps at the completion of a visit for another acute problem. For example, a woman in response to a question regarding birth control responds, “Why bother?” then complains about her husband’s distance. Another common presentation is when patients come in for a psychological problem such as depression or anxiety and relate most of the problems they are having to their marital relationship. Although a referral for marital counseling is often most efficacious, many patients prefer to receive help from their family doctor.