We all know that love doesn’t come easy, and divorce doesn’t come cheap. But a recent University of Arizona study claims that going through a divorce could come with more serious costs than just depleting your wallet.
A survey of 32 published studies found that divorced adults have a significantly higher risk - approximately 23 percent - of early death than married adults, reports The Arizona Republic.
Apparently, getting a divorce may be just as bad for your health as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, getting limited exercise, being overweight and drinking heavily, according to UA psychology professor and the study’s lead author David Sbarra.
"We thought there was some risk, but we didn't think the risk elevation would be as substantial as other very serious public-health risks," Sbarra told The Republic.
Interestingly, the study found that divorced men had a significantly higher risk for early death than divorced women. Sbarra hypothesized that the results may be influenced by the fact that men generally die younger than women or because women usually do most of the health-related planning in the family.
Don't let the studies scare you if you are considering a divorce, however. The study, known as a meta-analysis, allows researchers to examine existing evidence and form broad conclusions, but it did not conclusively prove a direct correlation between divorce and early death. In addition, other research indicates that most divorced adults go on to high levels of satisfaction and re-marry. It's the minority that faces significant health problems after a divorce, according to Sbarra.
Although there may be health risks associated with divorce, living in an unhappy marriage may not be good for your health either. To make sure you don't add stress to the divorce process, you should consider enlisting the services of an experienced Phoenix family attorney. He or she can help you with such divorce issues as creating a custody agreement and property division.
Related Resources:
- Find a Phoenix Family Law Attorney (FindLaw)
- Divorce Can Raise Risk of Early Death, Study Says (msnbc)
- Marriage/Divorce Counseling (FindLaw)
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