What Is the Crazy Cycle?
Emerson Eggerichs describes the crazy cycle and how it affects marriages.
Articles within this series
- Overview
- You're Stepping on My Air Hose!
- What Is the Crazy Cycle?
- Stopping the Crazy Cycle
Craziness is when we keep doing the same thing — again and again — with the same ill effect. Marital craziness is when we do the same thing — over and over — with the same negative results. I call it the Crazy Cycle. When hurt and frustrated, we continue reacting in negative ways to motivate our spouse to be positive. Can you believe it? That's like flipping broken light switches for 30 minutes.
All who are married go through this cycle. The topics change, and the intensity varies, but the crazy cycle continues. One day the argument may be about a diet book, the next day the argument may be about child-rearing methods. Next month, it's about a marriage book and then about the lack of money.
This happens among good willed people. Sadly, some think they have a horrible marriage because of this craziness. Truth is, they are inches away from making an adjustment that can set them in a whole new and positive course. The key is to see underneath this "craziness," to the heart of a spouse.