How a Bad Marriage Can Effect You

A March survey looked at how bad marriages affect the health of men and women. The study, which was done at the University of Utah, has some interesting findings.


A recent study reported that women have a different reaction to a “bad marriage” compared to men. Can you explain?
• Middle-age women have more health problems such as high blood pressure, excess belly fat, and factors that boost risk for diabetes and heart attack
• Toxic relationships affect your whole health
• Women in a bad relationship were twice as likely to be depressed than other
women

What did the study say about men in bad relationships?
• They experience depression but not at the level of women
• Men typically have emotional effects from a poor marriage, but not physical health concerns


What can couples do if they find themselves in a bad marriage?
• Increase your communication and try to discuss problem issues.
• Make sure you address emotional and physical symptoms as quickly as possible.
• Access marriage counseling as soon as things begin to hit problems
• Don’t wait until the marriage is at crisis level (by that I mean ready to look into legal separation or divorce)
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