SEX FILES: Why your relationship feels higher stakes right now

If a couple has struggled to navigate financial or familial hardship in the past, the stress of global instability and the rising cost of living will make things more challenging if the same ineffective coping skills are being used.

Published Apr 26, 2026  •  Last updated 23 minutes ago  •  3 minute read

US singer-songwriter Lady Gaga and Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny perform during Super Bowl LX Patriots vs Seahawks Apple Music Halftime Show at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California on February 8, 2026. Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON /AFP via Getty Images

During the Super Bowl halftime show in February, Bad Bunny surprised audiences by bringing out Lady Gaga, who performed a sultry salsa version of her song “Die with a Smile.” 

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Hearing the lyrics gave me goosebumps: “Nobody’s promised tomorrow / So I’m going to love you every night like it’s the last night/ If the world was ending, I’d wanna be next to you.” 

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It feels like the perfect song for the moment we’re living in. 

Between the war in the Middle East, economic uncertainty, and the fact that I feel like a medieval peasant every time I go to the grocery store (“Good sir, I’d like to exchange my weekly take-home pay for a carton of eggs and a cauliflower, please”), the world feels especially chaotic. 

“At this point, relationships are sort of all we’ve got,” says Morgan Cope, an assistant professor of psychology and founder of the Relationship Science Centre at Centre College. “When social systems are deconstructed, it’s easy for that deconstruction to feel like it’s trickling down into your lived relationships. In fact, it’s probably a good time to fortify what your relationships mean to you,” she says. 

Relationships become more necessary — and more complicated. Whether romantic partners, family, or friends, those around us help us weather the storm. Navigating uncertainty as a couple, though, isn’t just sweeping romance set to salsa beats. 

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World events can make love feel urgent, but also expose where it falls short. While Lady Gaga’s message is romantic in theory, stress can bring your relationship into sharp focus, making the cracks more apparent. “It exacerbates whatever is going on in your relationship,” Cope explains. 

If a couple has struggled to navigate financial or familial hardship in the past, the stress of global instability and the rising cost of living will make things more challenging if the same ineffective coping skills are being used. 

However, some relationships may rise to the occasion. “If a couple has effective coping strategies for normatively stressful events, they may be able to transfer those skills to help one another through contemporary curve-balls,” says Cope. That said, there is no guarantee that everyday coping mechanisms will transfer to extraordinary circumstances. 

That doesn’t mean that couples are doomed. “It is very possible that couples can develop new tools and learn to help one another in trying times. However, this requires conscious effort and potentially intervention from outside counsel,” says Cope. 

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This raises the obvious question: Is it the state of the world or your relationship that’s the problem? 

In this case, context matters. Cope suggests considering how long the relationship has been unsatisfying. Are issues consistently present, or are they tied to new stressors? Cope says,  “If someone is really struggling to tell whether it is the relationship or the world melting around them, it may be best to consult with a clinician who can identify personal traits, tendencies, and needs.” 

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Cope also encourages couples to identify sources of unpredictability, as well as dependability, in their lives. She suggests, “Ask each other: What is your chaos, and what is your calm?” For example, what areas of life feel out of control and which bring you a sense of calm, reassurance, or consistency? Leaning on the areas of calm can help people stay afloat amidst chaos. 

However, not everyone is navigating the news cycle as a couple. What does this mean for those of us who are single and looking? Given the current state of the world, is seeking carefree summer love unrealistic? 

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Cope doesn’t think so. “We need social connection like we need shelter, water, and food. That connection gives us the joy, sense of meaning, and fortitude to fight for our right to dignified love and living.” 

Whether you’re still looking to meet your til-the-end-of-the-world plus-one, expand your social circle, or nurture the connections you already have, get clear on your values and what you need from your relationships, and put those into practice. Lastly, don’t forget to have fun. 

As Cope reminds us, we need each other. “The pursuit of soulful connection with others may be the radical resistance that not only gives you new friends, lovers, and memories, but the vision and energy to resist the despair that comes along with a volatile outside world.” 

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