Men’s Health | Colorado Springs Divorce Lawyer

Men at Greater Risk

The National Institute of Mental Health reports that divorce or separation is the single best predictor of stress-related illness and that divorced men seem to suffer disproportionately from the consequences.

Here’s what divorced men – as opposed to married men – are up against:

4 times more likely to commit suicide
7 times more likely to die from pneumonia
6 times more likely to suffer from depression
2 times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease
2 times more likely to die from hypertension
2 times more likely to die from stroke

Divorced men, specifically, are at a much greater risk for suicide. The suicide rate for divorced white men is four times higher than for their married counterparts.

While both divorced men and women have a higher risk of depression than people who remained with their spouses, studies show that divorced or separated men are six times more likely to report episodes of depression compared with men who remained married.

Some argue that one of the reasons why divorced men are more at risk of experiencing depression is that their main sources of social support was their spouse. After a divorce, that social support may no longer exist.

Nineteen per cent of men who were no longer with their spouse found a decline in their social support, while only six per cent of men who remained in a relationship found a drop.

So Pull it Together

Knowing that you’re at risk you can chose, now, to do something about it. Many of the conditions mentioned above can be avoided by making healthy choices and investing some time in your health.

You can chose to eat well – or at least better – and avoid alcohol and drugs. You can chose to make some time for the gym, or a regular run or bike ride. Even small changes, like taking the stairs can greatly reduce some of the health risks mentioned above.

No one is perfect and it’s asking alot for men just starting the divorce process to radically change what they eat and how they exercise, but every day, divorcing men get confronted with little choices that can add up to big consequences.

Instead of Burger King, try Subway. Walk the dog a little extra. Ride your bike in the morning or after work. Save some gas and try riding your bike to work.