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Loving relationships and happiness

Many people intuitively feel that being in a long-term, loving relationship is beneficial for their mental well-being. Having somebody to share problems with – whether as a partner or as a sympathetic ear – is invaluable in tackling them. People who suffer from low self-esteem often value the boost a fulfilling romantic relationship can give. And we’ve all seen celebrities, and friends, fall apart when a relationship ends.

Romantic commitments aren’t the only component in a good mental health support system. However, a recent study has shown them to be statistically important when avoiding:

• serious mental health problems
• mild depression and low self-esteem
• dependence on alcohol, prescription drugs, and illegal drugs
• suicidal thoughts or actions

The study examined a group of 1,000 people living in New Zealand and was carried out by a group of researchers at the University of Otago in New Zealand. It was published in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

This study concentrated on the length of relationships, finding that the longer the relationship, the lower the likelihood of developing depression or other mental health problems. Many other previous studies have concluded that married people are – overwhelmingly – happier than unmarried people. But this was the first study that found that partners’ legal status was relatively unimportant – it’s the length of the relationship that counts.

The happiness of married people compared with single people – and their lower rates of stress, anxiety and depression – applies globally. One study (Marital Status and Happiness by Steven Stack and J Ross Eshleman) conducted a study that involved seventeen different nations and an incredible eighteen thousand test subjects, finding that the percentage of people who described themselves as ‘very happy’ was far higher among married people, and that the percentage who described themselves as ‘very unhappy’ was considerably lower.

This effect is thought to be due to the isolation felt by many singles. Simply having somebody to talk to is very important in preserving good mental well-being. Relationship advice sites such as the eHarmony blog, are full of tips to avoid isolation – not just signing up for online dating, but also going out regularly with friends and staying on good terms with family in order to preserve a good support network.

However, all the studies seem to show that a lasting, loving romantic relationship is the single biggest factor contributing to happiness and mental well-being.

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