Will remarriage turn your life around? Are economic considerations the truth? Study: Benefits more for men
Can you get happiness by “remarrying” after divorce? Men benefit more?
News of flash marriages and divorces of celebrities and entertainers are common. It is also common for celebrities to look for a “second love” after divorce. Can remarriage lead to happiness? What impact will it have on the psychological state of both parties?
A review of research in the scientific community found that “marriage” can indeed have a positive impact on personal health, while divorce is usually associated with declining health. China’s Xi’an Polytechnic University conducted a survey and study on 235 divorced people last year (2021). The results showed that compared with divorced people, remarried people are less likely to suffer from depression and have better self-rated health.
Another interesting observation of this study is that remarriage seems to have gender differences in promoting health. Remarriage has obvious benefits for men’s mental health, but has no significant correlation with women’s mental health.
In addition to gender, the health-promoting effects of remarriage appear to be inversely related to increasing age. People who remarry at a younger age have greater improvements in their mental health. It seems that as time goes by, older remarried people enjoy diminishing benefits from their marital relationships.
Is singlehood associated with increased mortality? Study: Remarriage reduces medical and social costs
The impact of remarriage and divorce on individuals seems to be becoming more and more accepted as society opens up. Polish research points out that compared with divorced or widowed people, remarried people have a higher quality of life and less incidence of depression, especially among men. Scientists believe that remarriage after divorce is increasingly viewed as a positive act of change.
On the contrary, divorce or widowhood is more likely to affect the mental health of single people and is regarded as a hidden social and medical burden. Relevant studies have shown that the risk of cardiovascular disease, chronic disease and mental illness tends to increase among single people after divorce, which seems to mean that divorce and widowhood are accompanied by an increase in mortality. Scientists remind in this study that remarriage may help reduce the overall social and medical burden; and the psychological state of singles requires more active attention from relevant units.
“There is still trauma in the eyes” Are remarried people prone to falling into a vicious cycle?
However, some experts hold the opposite opinion: that is, the damage to health caused by divorce cannot be compensated for by remarriage. Linda Waite, a sociologist at the University of Chicago, once said in an exclusive interview with CNN that the disputes and litigation procedures between the two parties during divorce can easily cause psychological defects, economic losses, and pressure from public opinion.
“When people get divorced and remarry, we still see the trauma in their eyes.”
Linda Waite further pointed out that remarried people are often eager to make up for the financial losses in the previous relationship and the subsequent psychological pressure. Such a result may lead to more disputes and lack of understanding with the new partner, thus forming a vicious cycle in the marriage relationship.
Are remarried people prone to cognitive biases? Research shows divorce rate increases by 10%
Psychological research from an Indonesian team points out that adults who remarry usually decide to “get married early”, and about 50% will remarry three years after divorce. Compared with the first marriage, remarriage occurs faster, especially among older women. Remarried people often seek a better relationship than before, and this mentality is prone to “cognitive bias”; When the gap between imagination and reality is too large, the chance of suffering from mental illness increases.
Why do remarried adults seem to have difficulty maintaining a new marriage? The research team believes that many adults remarry not for love, but for economic reasons, in order to reduce loneliness and successfully raise their children. However, precisely because of such negative behavior, marriages are prone to failure. Statistics from the study show that the divorce rate for second marriages is about 10% higher than for first marriages.
Being single, being happy, lonely, healthier, and seamlessly connected may not mean happiness.
Whether you are staying married or remarrying, you should take good care of your mental health after being divorced or widowed. Karolina Koch Davidsen, a doctor of social medicine at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, believes that attention should be paid to the “happy and lonely” life after being single. Staying away from social media in a timely manner and engaging in sports, nature or volunteer activities will be helpful to promote mental health.
Dr. Zhou Weibo from the Department of Psychiatry at Chung Wo Memorial Hospital affiliated to the National Medical University also reminded that when individuals are divorced or lovelorn, they need time to calm down. At this time, there is no need to rush yourself out of the pain. You should pay more attention to a fixed schedule and regular meals. If you enter the next relationship while your mood is not stable, it will be “seamless”, and it is difficult to guarantee that you will fall into the dilemma of personality differences, conflicts and disputes in the future.
source:
Remarriage after Divorce and Health in Later Life: Findings from CHARLS in China
Divorce takes health toll that remarriage can’t heal, study says
Proceedings of the International Conference on Psychological Studies (ICPSYCHE 2020)
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