Men are nearly twice as likely to suffer from post-divorce depression as women.
While every person deals with significant and sudden life changes differently, you can be sure almost everyone going through divorce will feel some form of loss and confusion. There are many factors that likely contribute to the fact that men have a significantly higher rate of depression after a divorce than women, which include:
Wife Initiating The Divorce. The person who wants out, has likely spent time contemplating their future before coming to the decision that it is time to divorce, often leaving their spouse caught completely off guard and left in shock which more often than not is the husband.
Men are more likely to lose custody of their children. Although strides are being made to give fathers the custody they deserve, the mother is still more likely to obtain primary-parent status.
Men are less likely to have a system of support. Likely one of the biggest reasons men have a more difficult time coping with divorce is that they tend to keep their problems to themselves, whereas women are much more likely to share their pains with friends, family or professionals.
Men often have greater financial obligations post-divorce. With child support almost always being awarded to the parent with more overnights, this can be the icing on the cake for fathers who feel they were slighted with the custody decision.
If you are a man who has dealt with depression before and are going through a divorce, you need to be acutely aware that you are in a very risky spot and should not hesitate to seek help if you need it.
