Men take breakups harder than women
After my worst breakup, I cried for a solid year. I followed my ex around in my car, gazing at him through bushes and wooden fences. (Yes, I was weird then.) He seemed so happy. He was probably relieved to be rid of me. He had such a love of life, and I just couldn't keep up. The whole time we were going out, I thought he was too good for me--too charming, too handsome, too magnetic. He had an effortless social presence that I admired. Women loved him. Ooh boy. I shouldn't even write about the breakup. It was that painful.
Anyway, new research shows that men have a harder time with marital breakups than women do, and are more likely to suffer depression as a result. I find that very surprising, but the research is in Canada, where I imagine men are more sensitive.
Study: Men more prone to depression after breakup
[Image is of Jeremy Northam--who to me is the epitome of the kind of man I could never date because he's too charming, handsome and magnetic.]
Comments
I believe it. Here's my theory: women grieve. Hard. Men tend to stuff it down. I've known men to take two years to bounce back.
It is an interesting point that they experience that after marital breakups, and not other breakups.
It's all generalizing, which is dangerous - but I have seen it work that way.
Posted by: Janet | May 23, 2007 05:49 PM
I had to be hospitalized two months after separating from my soon-to-be-ex-wife. Hmmm ...
Posted by: Larry Parker | June 27, 2007 10:01 PM
I was married 23 years to a guy who got together with me at a time I was hospitalised and had had a bad episode. I am bipolar but hear voices too. I was devastated when he left two years ago. I am better now but he has moved on quicker than I have and has another partner whereas I don't. I think I took it harder than him. I became an insomniac also after he left. That still bothers me a bit. I have had a series of episodes where I have become depressed and bothered by auditory hallucination. Sounds like I'm a real mess, but I have up moments and I am quite strong when i want to be.
Posted by: Wendy | October 14, 2007 12:15 AM