Three health risks resulting from an unhappy marriage.
Psychologist Mark Travers argues that marriage is supposed to be a lifelong commitment, but then cycles of disagreements and unresolved conflicts emerge, and these disagreements can have a devastating effect on overall health.
In an article she wrote for Forbes magazine, she stated that even relationships that begin with love and hope can become harmful if problems are left unresolved.
A bad marriage, marked by frequent conflicts, can become painful in terms of emotional well-being and lead to mental and physical consequences.
According to research, there are three health risks stemming from an unhappy marriage.
1. Increases the risk of various diseases.
A 2021 study revealed that men who are married but not in a happy marriage have a 94 percent higher risk of having a heart attack and a 21 percent higher risk of dying from any illness compared to those who are happy in their marriages.
This study, which followed participants' lifestyles for thirty years, revealed that the effects of marital unhappiness are long-lasting and affect health.
In addition, chronic stress can lead to the release of stress hormones that increase blood pressure and heart rate, potentially contributing to chronic health problems such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
A 2014 study published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior found that low-quality marriages are associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly for older women. The negative impact of an unhappy marriage on health is more noticeable in women than in men as they age.
The quality of marriage is a strong indicator of both men's and women's health; research has shown that unhappy marriages increase the risk of death over time, as well as the risk of certain diseases.
2. Negative impact on mental health
"For couples who defend themselves during arguments or who talk about the same issue repeatedly without finding a solution, conflict can be quite harmful," said Rosie Shrout of Purdue University.
Another study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania revealed that people who had been in a low-quality marriage for more than 12 years were less happy, had lower self-esteem, and had worse health than those who did not have a happy marriage.
In fact, maintaining a bad marriage can be worse than divorce; because those who left unhappy marriages felt better by remaining single or remarrying, and had greater life satisfaction than those who maintained an unhappy marriage.
Furthermore, an unhappy marriage can lead to changes in brain function, affecting memory, learning, decision-making, and focus. The importance of marital quality influenced men's outcomes but had less of an impact on women. A 2021 study by the University of Michigan revealed that men dissatisfied with the quality of their marriages experienced a faster lag in their cognitive abilities.
3. Obstacles to recovery
The constant stress of an unhappy marriage can weaken the immune system by increasing inflammation and slowing the body's ability to heal, making some individuals more susceptible to infections, chronic illnesses, and delayed recovery from injuries.
A 2023 study published in Psychoneuroendocrinology examined negative communication patterns between couples, such as unresolved conflicts and avoidance of arguments, and the impact of both factors on emotional health.
Researchers found that couples who engaged in more negative arguments had slower wound healing and higher infection rates; a clear explanation of how stress affects the body. These effects were observed more frequently in women than in men.
The research suggested that poor communication in marriage not only harms emotional health but also directly affects physical health, increasing the body's susceptibility to disease and prolonging recovery time.
Study author Shrout said, "What we saw is that chronic daily negativity and acute negativity, as well as a combination of both, experiencing both, is particularly bad for a couple's emotions, relationships, and immune function."
Another study conducted in 2019 revealed that stress and a lack of happiness in marriage can negatively impact gut health. When couples experience stress, the gut microbiome becomes unbalanced, leading to health problems such as harmful substances from the stomach passing into the bloodstream. This can cause inflammation and increase the risk of chronic diseases such as overweight, obesity, and heart disease.
Stress and conflict in relationships can also lead to bad health habits, such as eating unhealthy foods, which can accelerate aging and make people even sicker.
A stressful marriage can make both partners unhealthy over time because their bodies are constantly stressed and unbalanced. Being in an unhealthy marriage is bad for your health; it's almost as dangerous as smoking or drinking alcohol.
"This means that efforts to understand and mend a marriage can potentially save lives," said Travers, an American psychologist who regularly writes about psycho-educational topics such as happiness, relationships, personality, and the meaning of life.













