Introduction
Marriage provides men and women with numerous benefits. Therefore, when one of the spouses is lost due to death or divorce, it may lead to severe psychological problems. Considering the peculiarities of the marriage concept, the paper is aimed at exploring the similarity of the widowhood effects on men’s and women’s depression, explaining why men have more benefits from marriage than women do and suffer more upon divorce/widowhood, and why marriage is more strongly related to men’s than women’s health.
The similarity of the Effects
Widowhood and divorce cannot be called the positive states of mind. Usually, people suffer the loss of a spouse to the greatest extent. However, men and women experience widowhood differently. They may be equally depressed, but the causes of their depression are different. Leaving aside the sensitive side, marriage provides men and women with different benefits. Men are cared about, and women are protected.
Therefore, the loss of a spouse generates different emotions that may lead to depression. It should be noted that men are less likely to receive support from the outside as men are considered stronger and more mentally stable (Trivedi, Sareen, & Dhyani, 2009). It can only increase the likelihood of being alone during the hard period and thus, becoming more depressed.
Explanation
Men benefit more than women from marriage and suffer more upon divorce/widowhood because women tend to care about men more than men care about women. The thing is in the feeling of comfort and continuous support when a couple is married (Newman & Newman, 2012). Men work hard, make strategic decisions, and protect the family from outside threats would it be financial issues or physical attacks, for example.
Women, on the contrary, provide all the rest. They cook or organize food delivery; they clean up the house, care about children, do the washing, and all the routine work that men usually do not even notice. In the case when a married man loses his wife, it deprives him of all these unnoticeable little details of life that are so valued by men. Men lose the feeling of comfort (Trivedi, Sareen, & Dhyani, 2009). The feeling of care makes men feel comfortable and safe from an early age. Women realize their need for care via caring about their families, children, and spouses.
Marriage and Men
Marriage is more beneficial for men’s health rather than women’s because women tend to care about men better than men usually care about themselves. The reason is in the support and the faith women have in men. They inspire men to be better and thus, care about their health. Healthy food, sports activities, avoidance of negative habits like smoking or alcohol abuse are examples of such care (Trivedi, Sareen, & Dhyani, 2009).
Another explanation is based on the support that a woman is capable of providing to a man. Doubts, emotional distress, pressure, depressions, and other psychological issues a man experiences in regular life can be mitigated by his woman that can help via talk, some verbal inspiration, and motivation (Helgeson, 2012; Pickles, 2016). Emotional stability is crucial for healthy well-being, and women are capable of providing such support to men in marriage. Heart issues are the consequences of the mentioned stressful factors. Therefore, women help men to keep their emotions stable and healthy.
Conclusion
Summing, the paper explored the similarity of the widowhood effects on men’s and women’s depression, explained why men have more benefits from marriage than women do and suffer more upon divorce/widowhood, and why marriage more strongly related to men’s than women’s health.
References
Helgeson, V.S. (2012). The psychology of gender (4th edition). New York, NY: Pearson.
Newman, B.M., & Newman, P.R. (2012). Development through life: A psychosocial approach. New York, NY: Cengage Learning.
Pickles, K. (2016). Being a widow can IMPROVE your health: Losing a spouse makes women less frail in old age as there’s no husband to look after. Mail Online. Web.
Trivedi, J.K., Sareen, H., & Dhyani, M. (2009). Psychological aspects of widowhood and divorce. Mens Sana Monographs, 7(1), 37-49.