Being single: Depression risk?

It can sometimes feel like Society puts a lot of pressure on the status of one’s relationship or lack thereof, and sometimes being single can feel like the eyes of the world see you in a certain light.

Research and our own experiences tell that sometimes people are better off staying single than being in a poor relationship. From a societal point of view, the fact of being in a relationship is enough to be accepted on some sort of social level; even if that relationship is dysfunctional, destructive and disheartening.

Researchers from the University of Michigan found that having a “quality relationship” as opposed to “quantity relationship” when considering the influence of depression on a person. The quality of a relationship between a spouse, a friend or family could actually be a tell-tale sign of a propensity for future major depression disorder. Research found that persons with spouses who were not really on the same page or worse still non supportive spouses were more likely to develop depression whereas those without spouses suffer no such risk. Put succinctly, this research finds that unhappy situations pose a serious risk factor for depression. Relationships with the lowest quality had more than double the risk of depression compared to those with the best relationships. This study shows that a major way to help people suffering from depression is to start by analyzing their social relationships.

Talking through your relationship challenges with a professionally qualified person can often provide some valuable insights to help you defuse the pressure building up inside, and avoid any long term potential side effects.