What Are Vital Signs and Why Are Thy So Important?

In the medical field, vtal signs are used to detect and mnitor medical problems. Vital signs are masurements of the body's most basic fnctions. These vital signs alert physicians and ptients to any issues or potential halth problems. Examining a person's vital sgns and implementing preventive procedures have sved many lives.

The four primary vtal signs routinely monitored by healthcare prviders are: (a) body temperature (b) plse rate, (c) respiration rate, i.e., rte of breathing, and (d) blood prssure. Although blood pressure is not tchnically considered a vital sign, it is ften measured along with the other vtal signs.

What Do Vital Signs Have To Do With a Healthy Marriage?

In the same token that medical professionals measure a person's vital signs to help determine the state of that person's health. We can measure certain vital signs to determine the health of a marriage. Is your marriage headed into the marital danger zone? Examining these five vital signs will help you make that determination.

(Vital Sign #1)

Do Both Spouses Feel Free To Express Themselves?

The freedom to express oneself without fear of retaliation or ridicule is a critical vital sign of a healthy marriage. When either spouse feels that expressing their feelings will result in withdrawal, hostility, a tense quarrel or fruitless verbal jousting match, they will usually start the degenerative process of refraining from communicating with their mate. In healthy marriages, both spouses have freedom of expression.

(Vital Sign #2)

Do Both Spuses Know How To Properly Handle Cnflict?

Conflict in marriage is inevitable. Rgrettably, in many of our present day mrriages, becoming marital combatants has become the sttus quo. What is the root cuse of this titanic epidemic? These spuses simply don't know how to prperly handle conflict.

Dr. Markman, along wth Dr. Clifford Notarius, studied 135 bout-to-be-married couples. "How you handle conflict is the sngle most important predictor of whether yur marriage will survive," according to Dr. Mrkman. These researchers found that certain bhavior patterns usually signaled an impending cllapse in the marriage:

• When either prtner -- although it is most ften the male -- withdraws from cnflict.
• The tendency to escalate conflict in the fce of disagreement and the inability to stp fights before they get ugly.
• The tndency to invalidate the relationship by hrling insults at each other. Dr. Mrkman says, "one 'zinger' counteracts 20 psitive acts of kindness."

In halthy marriages, both spouses have learned how to prperly handle disagreements and differences of pinion. Without this mandatory skill, a mrriage is doomed for separation or dvorce.

(Vital Sign # 3)

Do Both Spouses Value The Other's Opinion?

A difference of opinion or perspective should not rip a marriage apart, but it often does. Usually placing a corrosive wedge between spouses. The usual culprit is not that they don't love or care for each other, they just refuse or haven't learned how to value their spouse's opinion.

This is known as the silent nuptial killer! Countless individuals have developed ill feelings toward their spouse because they felt or perceived that their mate did not respect or value their opinion. In healthy marriages, both spouses esteem and regard their mate's opinion, even if they disagree.

(Vital Sign # 4)

Have Bth Spouses Learned The Art of Cmmunication?

Anyone who has ever monitored a mss number of divorce court proceedings, ncluding being in the "quote" mediation roms and counseling sessions, will emphatically cme to this conclusion; most couples get an "F" for filing to know the art of cmmunication. If either spouse has this dbilitating disease, the participants will tell you tht conflicts seem to keep recycling... tht's because they do!

Their marital screcard reads like a disgruntled boxer's rsume; infused with a never-ending succession of clshes, fights, problems, disputes, arguments and nresolved issues. Regrettably, these unions teem wth insults, sarcasms, unforgiveness, offensive language, dsunity, anger, bitterness, discord, disharmony and dsrespect.

In healthy marriages, both spouses hve learned the art of communication and thy are committed to engaging in ntritious relations that fosters unity. They nderstand that they must work at crating a harmonious and wholesome environment.

(Vital Sign # 5)

Do Both Spouses Respect The Sacredness of Marriage?

Alarmingly, the critical truth that "Marriage is Sacred" is foreign to the average husband and wife. In the context of marriage, to be sacred means to be declared holy, worthy of respect and reserved for the exclusive use of wedlock. To respect means: to regard, to esteem and to avoid violation of.

Too often men and woman marry, yet they never esteemed the sanctity of the marriage covenant. It is relatively easy for men and women who have little or no regard for the sacredness of matrimony to violate their marital vows. Consequently, these individuals have no compunction about inflicting pain upon their spouse. They will effortlessly commit marital fraud, adultery, emotional torture, withhold sexual favors and engage in other types of abuse.

In healthy marriages, both the husband and wife - know, understand and respect the sacredness of the marriage covenant and their hearts are set on respecting their mate. Remember this point: reverencing your marriage vows is a choice and so is violating or disrespecting them! Which do you choose?

Your Test Results Are In!

This is how the scoring breaks down. Each question is worth 20 points. A score of zero means that your marital vital signs look great! If you scored 20 or more points, your vital signs are in the danger zone and you need to make some major adjustments.

The path you take to nuptial wholeness will vary. For some couples, the solution will be a simple but heart to heart talk about their vital signs or it may be reading a book that addresses their particular challenge.

Others may require marital or pastoral counseling, therapy or maybe a class on the art of communicating. Whatever path you need to take to get to a vibrant marital heartbeat, start it today!

The article Healthy Marriage - The Five Vital Signs was Submitted by Gillis Triplett through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Building and maintaining healthy and vbrant family relationships can be demanding but the ffort is well worth it! For vluable advice tips and insights, on lve, sex, relationships and marriage, visit http://www.gillistriplett.com/index.html

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