Many people might think that trust issues , long distances and cheating scandals are the biggest strains on a relationship . But they are wrong . It 's IKEA . A psychology expert has confirmed that shopping at or assembling furniture from the Scandinavian store chain can be a serious source of friction between a couple , thanks to the high levels of stress caused by both activities . 'The store literally becomes a map of a relationship nightmare , ' Ramani Durvasula , a clinical psychologist in Santa Monica , California , told The Wall Street Journal . Scroll down for video . Can your relationship handle it ? Experts say that shopping at IKEA can cause serious friction between couples - and assembling the store 's wares makes it even worse . 'Walking through the kitchens brings up touchy subjects , like who does most of the cooking . Then you get to the children ’ s section , which opens up another set of issues . And that ’ s before you 've even tried assembling anything , ' she said . Ramani revealed that so many couples admitted to her that they were prone to fighting while assembling furniture , that she decided to include furniture assembly in her therapy sessions . And her couples are not alone ; a report by CivicScience states that 17 per cent of couples confessed that they would argue every time they assembled furniture together , and therapists reported to WSJ that couples who are able to successfully assemble furniture together as a team actually have a healthier relationship . 'The Divorcemaker ' : This Liatorp home entertainment unit requires two people for assembly and involves putting together a large amount of shelving . Shopping for trouble : Clinical psychologist Ramani Durvasula brings furniture assembly into therapy sessions after so many couples described fighting while putting together IKEA items . Getting into particulars , Ramani explained that the more complicated the assembly , the more likely your new IKEA buy will leave you and your partner at odds . She revealed that a smaller unit like a Nornäs coffee table wo n't put too many demands on your relationship , but it 's a different story for a large wall unit like the $ 1,199 Liatorp unit , which Ramani has dubbed 'The Divorcemaker ' . The description of the item on IKEA 's website includes a lengthy 'Good To Know ' section outlining the different ways you can mess up the unit 's assembly , saying that you need two people to put it together . 'Handle with care ! ' it reads . ' A damaged edge or scratched surface can in exceptional cases cause the glass to crack suddenly . However , never into sharp fragments , only into small pieces . Avoid collisions from the side - this is where the glass is most vulnerable . ' Its relationship-ruining qualities do n't seem to be doing the the home furnishings giant any harm however , as it has 298 stores in 26 countries , and boasts a revenue of more than $ 36 billion a year . As for how to avoid having the dreaded 'IKEA meltdown ' with your partner , Janice Simonsen , design spokesperson for IKEA US , recommends to WSJ that you agree on a style before walking into the store .
A psychology expert has revealed that the stress of a visit to the store can cause serious friction between couples . Dr David J Smith from University College London said he had found evidence that people who visited stores with high levels of anxiety were more likely to have marital problems.