Many men experience high blood pressure, which leads to heart disease and strokes. They must also deal with emotional issues such as anxiety and depression. On top of that, divorced men are much more likely to engage in risky behavior. They also tend to self-medicate, which often leads to substance abuse.
A 2018 study found that because women initiated divorce more than men, men were more surprised with the decision, leading to more stress when the marriage dissolved.
Thanks to the idea that men are unwaveringly stoic and unemotional, many men have less experience processing negative emotions in a healthy way, and may also feel less willing to reach out to emotional support networks — or to even have them in the first place.
You should also understand how divorce changes a man. It often leads to health problems like weight gain, a significant reduction in financial resources, increased loneliness (which is worsened if he can't see his children and doesn't have friends or a support network), and decreased mental health and self-esteem.
The study surveyed 10,000 men and women over the course of two decades. Participants were asked to rate their own happiness before and after major milestones in their lives. Although men also felt slightly happier after their divorce was final, the increase was much less marked.
While there's no argument that everyone endures the pain of divorce in one way or another, many people may be surprised to hear that, according to research, men have a much more difficult time with a split than women.
Men Are More Likely to Remarry
The rate for women was significantly lower, at only 19.4 per 1,000 women eligible for remarriage. This data indicates that men are consistently more likely to attempt a second marriage than women. Over the past decade, there has been a decline in remarriage rates for both men and women.
The combination of reduced assets, reduced time with children, and the general feelings of isolation that men experience after divorce can be extremely difficult to handle.
Typically, a man's first reaction to a marriage ending is anger. And it can be self-directed. Lots of divorced guys start smoking and drinking more. And many jump way too quickly into new relationships — relationships that are usually doomed.
Get in touch. According to a 2013 survey, divorce makes men feel devastated, betrayed, confused and even suicidal, while, it claims, women are more likely to feel relieved, liberated and happy following a split. 34% of marriages end by their 20th anniversary.
A recent study found that while break-ups take a more immediate emotional toll on women, men often "never fully recover — they simply move on." I consulted a few mental health and relationship experts to learn more.
A new study of online relationship support finds that men tend to experience emotional pain more than women when their relationship takes a turn for the worse. An international team of psychologists led by researchers at Lancaster University conducted the first-ever “big data” analysis of relationship problems.
Men may sometimes blame others more and not fully accept their own shortcomings. Studies have found that men tend to deny their mistakes, minimize their faults, and blame their partners for the breakups. This leads to them spending the first few weeks of a breakup angry at their partner.
A 2013 survey conducted by London's Kingston University said the majority of women were happier than they had ever been after divorcing. Another survey by Carphone Warehouse said 35% of women were less stressed after divorce compared to 17% of men.
Marriage has long been flouted as a health booster to couples, with those who tie the knot more likely to live longer and have fewer emotional problems. But a happiness expert has now suggested that it's men, rather than women, who benefit most from walking down the aisle.
It is no surprise, then, that marital infidelity is a leading cause of divorce.
In a study done by Pennsylvania State University, the top reasons men listed for divorce was incompatibility, infidelity, lack of communication and personality problems.
According to a survey, 39% of men regret being divorced. But it is not as simple as it seems. This statistic has many layers to it – for example, a man who has committed marital wrongdoing that triggered the divorce may regret the event, but a man who has been wronged during the marriage may not regret it.
Men often experience the most devastating losses from divorce, often without knowing healthy ways to cope. Men are nearly twice as likely to develop major depression after divorce than women, and the suicide rate of divorced men is nearly twice that of married men.
Anger is a common emotion to feel during the divorce experience. It speaks to the intensity of affection you had during your marriage, and when that ended, there was no other way to express the sudden change in the physical, mental, and emotional makeup of your life.
While second marriages have been shown to have a higher divorce rate, many remarried women and relationship experts find that things can be much better the second time around.
While many couples see remarriage as a second chance at happiness, the statistics tell a different story. According to available Census data, the divorce rate for second marriages in the United States is over 60% compared to around 50% for first marriages.
But even if there's no perfect definition for a “sexless” marriage, everyone seems to agree that they're common. Newsweek estimates that about 15 to 20 percent of couples are in one, and sexless marriage is the topic of myriad new books—like Yager-Berkowitz's—and plenty of articles and columns.
They do not. Although a judge may have certain biases, under the law, men and women are both treated equally in a divorce. However, it is important to inform yourself of your rights and to make sure the courtroom upholds them.
Even women who do work during the marriage see their income drop by 20% once they are divorced. Men, on the other hand, experience a 30% increase in income, on average, after a divorce. The poverty rate for women who are separated or divorced is 27%. This is nearly three times the figure of separated men.