Study: Gender Disparities in Mental Health Impact of Divorce and Break-ups

A new study examining antidepressant use has found that women may experience more mental health difficulties than men during a divorce or separation after the age of 50. The research, which compared antidepressant use among men and women during and after different types of separations, suggests that women had larger increases in antidepressant use before a divorce or break-up and fewer reductions after entering a new relationship. The study's findings highlight the potential adverse mental health effects of divorce on women and the weaker beneficial effects of re-partnering, possibly due to economic impacts and differences in seeking help for mental health problems between genders.