Should you get divorced or live in an unhappy relationship?
A first of its kind guide with surprising operative answers and unexamined statistics.
It's not working out for you? It's not what it used to be? Or are you already divorced and think you might have made a mistake? Discover new facts:
Research shows that generally speaking married couples in the United States are happier than divorced ones. This is true also according to Happybility:
76% of married people on Happybility have a higher happiness index than divorced people.
But - and this is a big but, if you look more closely you reach different conclusions:
The comparison between married and divorced people is no longer accurate! Because an interesting fact according to Happybility states that -
44% of married people are not satisfied at all with their relationship/spouse/love etc.
So if we isolate them and compare married people who are dissatisfied with their relationships (score 5 or less) with divorced people - in general the divorced ones are happier!
71% of divorced people on Happybility have a higher happiness index than married people with a relationship index which is lower than 5.
And the truth is that this is not just generally true, it's also true in many areas of life, such as money, health, career and more - see the full report on Happybility. That means that married people do not always live better.
We promised answers too:
So what's better, to stay in a bad relationship because in general married people are happier than divorced people (or just because it's a scary step to take?) or to get a divorce?
In order to reach a conclusion you should first see the happiness indices (in life areas) of married people your age who are unhappy in their relationships.
To get real and operative answers you should talk to people who are a few years older than you and understand what they are truly going through and what you can expect if you stay…
Afterwards it's important to see the full happiness indices of divorced people, and talk to those who have been through the process and understand where they stand today: is their career improved? Do they have a good social life? A new relationship?
It's also interesting to compare remarried people, or those in a new relationship with those in their first marriage. The results are very surprising… enter here and compare.
Note that it is vital to take as many relevant parameters as possible into account: age, gender, children, location and more. You can refer to all these on Happybility.
So before you make the most important and difficult decision of your lives: compare and talk to people who have been in your situation and decided whether to stay in a relationship or get divorced, and understand what is best for you. You owe it to yourselves! Take advice from people like you who understand what you are going through and will not judge you. See what they have been through and let them be there for you as much as you need. We also recommend talking to happily married couples and learning from them how you can improve your relationship. You won't believe it but it is more helpful than any couple's therapist you hire!
If you've already taken that step, and decided to get divorced, whether you are still in the process or have already completed it, you are not alone. There are people just like you who are talking, sharing, understanding and listening; starting groups and sharing feelings and personal information which aren't shared anywhere else. Helping each other without judgment.
You are welcome to find true friends who will be by your side on this journey, and give you perspective.
As Mark, a happily married 36 year old with two kids from California says:
"My best friend told me that he's thinking of getting divorced, and asked for my advice. He told me things about his relationship that were completely new to me (luckily for me), and I felt irresponsible giving him advice, so I just listened. I felt uncomfortable not being able to help him, and looked for answers online. On Happybility I found a community which includes divorced people, and both happily and unhappily married people, and they were all talking openly about everything. I recommended Happybility to him and he found an amazing group there. He made married and divorced friends. It's the first and only community which compares and presents everything in such a relevant and real way. He won't stop thanking me. He's surer about his decisions and the process he's going through. I'm so happy I told him about Happybility!"
