Why serial relationships are bad for women’s mental health

“At times it is folly to hasten at other times, to delay. The wise do everything in its proper time” -- OVID

By Alex P. Vidal

While men, strangely, fare better in a recent study, women have been cautioned to avoid getting involved in serial relationships after emerging from a bad marriage or long-term relationship to prevent a severe break down and depression.

Other findings in the report confirm previous research that women who remain single throughout their lives do much better, in terms of mental health, than steadfast bachelors.

The research was an analysis of a data mine called the British Household Panel Survey that started in 1991 and includes information supplied annually from 10,000 British adults.

It includes a 12-item questionnaire designed to assess levels of psychological distress, depression and anxiety.

The study analyzed the returns for the year 2000 from 4,430 people. Of that number, nine percent had remained single throughout their lives and over half had been in a stable marriage or cohabitation during their lifetime. Of the remainder, 35 percent had experienced one partnership bustup during the lifetime.