Any of our Illinois readers who have gone through divorce are aware of how stressful it can be. Unfortunately, many may not understand that this can have a long-term impact on their health.
Divorce can be one of the most stressful situations you ever face. A recent study shows that it can also lead to premature death in men.
The study by the Danish Longitudinal Study on Work, Unemployment and Health examined data collected from nearly 10,000 Danish men and women between the ages of 36 and 52.
All of the participants were asked questions about stress in their life. By the time the 11 year study came to an end, 226 men and 196 women had died. With this data in mind, it was found that men have an increased risk of death when involved in a stressful marriage.
The study said, “Those [men] who ‘always’ or ‘often’ experienced worries and demands from partner had a higher mortality risk than those who ‘seldom’ had this experience … whereas worries and demands from other family, friends and neighbors were not [associated with higher mortality].”
The authors behind the study noted that conflict management skills may help to decrease the number of premature deaths.
Divorce mediation is one of the best ways to eliminate — or at the very least — keep stress under control, as it brings a neutral party into the equation. While there is no way to completely overcome the stress associated with divorce, this study shows that too much stress as part of a relationship could lead to premature death.
Source: The Huffington Post, “Study Says Stressful Marriages Can Lead To Early Death In Men” Taryn Hillin, May. 14, 2014
