Study Reveals Gender Disparities in Antidepressant Use Post Relationship Breakups

A recent Danish study sheds light on the differing responses to post relationship breakups between men and women, highlighting a higher likelihood of women turning to antidepressants compared to men during later stages of life.

The observational study, supported by the European Research Council and Academy of Finland, examined a cohort of 228,644 Finnish residents aged 50 to 70 between 1996 and 2018, all of whom had experienced a relationship dissolution, whether through breakup, divorce, or bereavement, between 2000 and 2014.

The findings, led by Professor Yaoyue Hu from Chongqing Medical University, underscore a significant gender discrepancy in antidepressant usage following relationship breakdowns. Notably, in the four years leading up to such events, women demonstrated a substantial increase in antidepressant use compared to men, with 6% of women and 3.2% of men turning to these medications.

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Published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health and subject to peer review, the study also revealed a spike in antidepressant use for both genders in the six months preceding divorce, with a 5% increase among men and a 7% increase among women. Although antidepressant usage stabilised after one year, it remained higher for both genders post-divorce compared to pre-divorce levels.

The researchers suggest that these patterns may indicate that women experience greater emotional difficulty adjusting to relationship breakdowns later in life than men. They posit that gender disparities in family roles, responsibilities, and economic status may contribute to the disproportionate use of antidepressants among women.

Moreover, the study found that more men tended to enter new relationships following bereavement or relationship breakups, while there was no significant gender difference among those who had divorced.

The study’s authors suggest that the mental health consequences of relationship dissolution may weigh more heavily on women due to societal factors. They note that marriage may have a more significant positive impact on men’s mental health compared to women’s and that older men may be more inclined to seek emotional support through new partnerships.

Notably, the study highlights the rising phenomenon of “grey divorce” among individuals aged 50 and older in high-income countries, driven by ageing populations.

Commenting on the findings, Gavin Scott, a family law partner at UK law firm Freeths, notes that the figures are not surprising, attributing the increased antidepressant use among women to financial uncertainties post-divorce, particularly for those who have sacrificed career development to prioritise childcare.

He emphasises the distressing nature of divorce proceedings and the detrimental effects of continued cohabitation in strained marital relationships on mental health, including that of children involved.

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