14 DAY TRIAL // Marriage is good for physical and mental health, or at least this is the conclusion of a new editorial published by Student BMJ.
David and John Gallacher from Cardiff University say that the 'smug marrieds' could have very good reasons to be proud of themselves, as several experts confirm that being involved in a long-term committed relationship, is beneficial for mental and physical health, and these benefits increase over time.
The authors write that, on average, married people live longer, but that, on the other hand, not all relationships are good for you.
They explain that women in a committed relationship have better mental health, while men in committed relationships are in better physical shape, adding that “on balance it probably is worth making the effort.
“The mental bonus for women may be due to a greater emphasis on the importance of the relationship,” while men's physical health probably stays better because their partner has a positive influence on their lifestyle.
They do add that true love is sometimes very hard to find, and they mention evidence of teenage relationships that are associated with high adolescent depressive symptoms.
It all could be just a matter of luck since people who are in a bad relationship, have a worse mental health than those who are single.
Those who find themselves in strained relationships have the choice of continuing, or doing one of the hardest things they can do – breaking up.
Separation is a very difficult process since “exiting a relationship is distressing” and when people divorce, it can have a devastating impact on them and their children (if there are any).
The authors also write that having many partners is also linked to a risk of earlier death, so even if relationship failures can be harmful, avoiding them is not the healthiest answer.
They say that since a good relationship improves both mental and physical health, maybe the solution is to avoid having bad ones instead of no relationship at all.
But people don't always know that the person they fall in love with might be bad for them, so maybe the researchers should also make a list of the things we should be on the lookout for.
It's not easy being single and it's not easy being in a couple, or being married and having a family, and there's not exactly an instructions manual you can buy at your local bookstore, even if you can learn a lot about marriage history over the Internet.
So maybe the thing to do is to be patient, to focus on your feelings, to maintain a bit of lucidity and hope you will be lucky in love.
And if you are happy, eat well and exercise, you may live a long life, surrounded by those you love.