Marriage is supposedly until “death do us part” but in the modern world we look at marital unions differently — even if we still take the same kinds of oaths. The fact is, there are certain situations in which saying “no” to divorce will be doing you and your family a disservice and result in unnecessary suffering.

When building a stronger, healthier and happier life for you and your family requires you to move forward with your divorce process, the answer to the divorce question is simple. There are many things in life that are far more important than the sanctity of marriage.

Are there situations when you should definitely get a divorce?

The question of whether you should “definitely” get a divorce is moot. When the decision is up to you, it will always be up to you. As such, you can always choose to “tough it out” and continue in a toxic, abusive and unhealthy relationship. But why would you do that when you can fast-track to happiness by calling it quits on a marriage?

Here are three situations when you probably should say “yes” to the divorce process no matter how difficult it is to end your marriage:

Your spouse is an addict: Your spouse might have a reason for being an addict. Maybe he or she was abused as a child or is suffering from a lot of mental and emotional anguish. However, if you have children, they will probably suffer damage by growing up in a house with an addict (who is not open to seeking help).

You also need to protect yourself from this kind of toxic environment. Your addict spouse will not change until he or she wants to, and, most importantly, your addict spouse is not your responsibility.

You're suffering from abuse: If your spouse is physically or verbally abusing you, call the marriage quits. It's as simple as that. You and your children should never have to live in an environment of abuse, nor should you ever have to put up with abuse from any other human being in your life.

You want kids but your spouse doesn't: Differences in opinion regarding having children will end up in one spouse resenting the other. If you have kids but you don't want to, you are signing up for a lifetime of responsibility that you may not want. If you don't have kids because your spouse doesn't want them, it could be a decision you'll later regret. It's best to start over and find a partner who has the same goals regarding the decision to have children.

Are you considering divorce in Texas?

Sometimes spouses can gain more clarity about their decision to divorce by visiting a mental health counselor. An in-depth understanding of Texas family law can also help spouses know what to expect in their divorce proceedings should they choose to begin the process.