Connection found between depression and marital stress

If you ever thought that there was a connection between depression and divorce, you certainly would not be alone. This notion is based on how unhappy people are hard to deal with. Because of this, they ostensibly have a hard time maintaining long-term relationships.

According to a recent study conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, this notion now has research data to support it. Researchers followed 116 couples who were either married or living together to study how stress and marital discord could lead to depression. The couples were assessed for marital stress and depression after a nine-year period. Then they were given “emotional balance” tests two years later.

Essentially, they found that couples who experienced chronic stress and marital problems were more likely to be depressed. While it is not an absolute, the study suggests that there is a notable connection between depression and marital problems.

Could this connection lead to changes with how family court judges view evidence about depression; especially when one party claims that they were subjected to undue cruelty or emotional abuse? It is worth noting because of how health care costs with regard to depression and mental issues may play a part in how future medical costs are assigned. It is not uncommon for an ex-spouse to keep a former spouse on their medical plans.

Nevertheless, these are key questions to be brought to a family law attorney when considering divorce. Aside from the division of financial assets and property, payment for medical insurance is an important issue.

Source: HuffingtonPost.com “Stressful marriages linked to depression in New Study,” Taryn Hillin, April 28, 2014