Women struggle more with break-ups than men with many suffering from bouts of depression and the need to take medication, according to recent research. How can you protect yourself when a relationship turns bad?
Breakups tend to be more challenging for women, often leading to increased instances of depression and a greater reliance on medication for emotional management according to latest research.
The research carried out by Professor Yaoyue Hu of Chongqing Medical University, shows a notable difference in the ways between men and women when facing break-ups, particularly highlighting a difference between men and women in the reliance on antidepressants.
“Our study found that women experiencing a breakup significantly increased their use of antidepressants in the four years running up to the event compared with men, with 6% taking antidepressants compared with 3.2% of men,” According to Professor Yaoyue Hu.
Under the study statistic, Cardiff relationship Specialist Matt Albiges put forward his opinion, “Emotion tends to be more affected by matters like a breakup, abandonment or separation. And there are men who are more emotionally sensitive as well as women although often it is women that may be more emotional.”
It can be harder for women to recover from the trauma of break-up, says Matt. “Women are often more open and sensitive in their emotional expression than men, which can make it more difficult for them to recover quickly from emotional trauma when faced with a breakup.”
Over one-third of women reported having been diagnosed with depression at some point in their lives, according to a Gallup poll from 2023, a rate nearly twice that of men. Matt believes that people who are more emotional will tend to feel things more intensely than people have less mood fluctuations.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in the United States further supports these findings. Their data revealed that the prevalence of major depressive episodes was higher among adult females which is 10.3% compared to males which is 6.2%.
“Challenges dealing with breakup can be very hard to cope with. Our emotions change a lot minute to minute every day, so it is helpful not to minimize or dismiss the emotions that we are feeling but to really acknowledge and appreciate them for what they are. Recognizing our emotions is the first step towards healing,” said Matt.
The process of healing and recovering from a breakup can be significantly influenced by acknowledging and addressing one’s emotions. Research indicates that engaging in activities that promote self-improvement and positive self-talk can boost mood, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being according to Grow Therapy.
Matt said, “our emotions teach us how to make sense of our life and there is always a positive way to look at negative situations. We can do a lot to increase our emotional resilience, such as devoting yourself to interests and hobbies, can provide emotional release and psychological fulfilment.”
