There is no doubt that marital conflict and an unhappy marriage cause stress for both partners involved. However, men may be much more likely to suffer severe mental and emotional health consequences as a result of such stress, and could actually even die prematurely as a result.
According to the results of a new Danish study, men who reported facing pressure or conflict from their partner or demands from their partner were much more likely to die prematurely, when monitored over an 11-year period. In contrast, men who experienced conflict related to other people in their lives including their friends, neighbors, family friends and children, did not seem to have the same kind of effect on their health. In these cases, the risk of premature death was not increased as it was in the case of marriage problems.
There may be several reasons why men may be so much more predisposed to suffering from emotional and physical stress, when they are in a difficult marriage. Men may not have the kind of conflict management skills that are necessary to handle a bad marriage. They may also be much less likely to talk about problems with their marriage, and may struggle with societal expectations of strength and resilience in their private life.
There have been a number of studies that have been linked to divorce , marital conflict and a person’s physical, mental and emotional health. Almost all of the studies have concluded that staying in a marriage, that is toxic, and negative, is not only unhealthy, but could also actually increase the risk of an early death. While a satisfying marriage can increase happiness, and even economic prosperity, being in a bad marriage could actually lead to an early grave.
