Singles are happier than married people.

We live in a society that practically forces us to be married. Having a partner, getting married and then having children is considered the normal pattern of behavior.

When someone does not have a partner (and also does not need one to feel fulfilled) the people around them begin to question the reason for this fact: "Why are you single? Why doesn't he want to be with anyone?"

Well, according to scientific studies, single people enjoy greater well-being and emotional balance than people who are married. In this article we explain it to you.

There are more and more divorces...

Much is said today about the number of divorces that there are today and that fewer and fewer people want to get married in these times. According to Eurostat (the European statistical office), In Spain there are fewer and fewer marriages, as they have fallen by up to 56% in the last 50 years. This demonstrates the complexity of love relationships.

If we look around us, surely we all know people who go from relationship to relationship and are unable to spend time with themselves. They seem to be terrified of being alone.

A few months ago I met someone who confessed to me that since she was 16 she had always had a partner and that, Despite having several relationships, he recognized that he had not developed a series of skills necessary to be happy. She was afraid of uncertainty, she needed to know that someone was always waiting for her and, in other words, she did not have sufficient leadership capacity or the ability to empower herself in the face of life and she did not have the self-confidence necessary to overcome the challenges without anyone's help. Something that made me think about whether getting married has negative consequences for ourselves.

Since then, I have observed that many people have the same problem. In fact, in extreme cases this requires psychological assistance, it is what is known as anuptaphobia (or anuptaphobia), irrational fear of being alone.

• You can learn more about this condition in our article: “Anuptophobia: the irrational fear of being single”

Science confirms that singles are happier than married people

And it is that, many times, the social pressure that marriage and having children demand, the fear of being labeled as a “spinster” or “spinster” wave emotional dependence they lead people to be together with another person forces you to have a partner. Many individuals think that this is how they will be happier, when in reality it is not. At least that's what a recent study seems to indicate.

The research was carried out by Bella DePaulo, a PhD in psychology from the University of California. For her study, she had data from more than 800 investigations of the last 30 years, with the conclusion that singles have a greater sense of self-determination, which is essential for their own development staff.

Data Presented at the APA Annual Convention

These results were presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association (APA), and go against the popular belief that getting married makes you happier and that is what many people pursue.

As Bella DePaulo explains to the newspaper "The independent", "Research shows that singles feel more self-actualized on a personal level and self-sufficiency and self-determination is beneficial to them, as they experience fewer negative emotions and are mentally and emotionally more powerful".

• Related article: “12 characteristics of mentally strong people”

Study data

This study is a compilation of different investigations carried out in the United Kingdom, since the people who have chosen to remain single in this part of the world has increased by 25% in 14 years.

Although some experts warn of the dangers of giving everything to one person throughout life, DePaulo concludes that “Singles are often discriminated against and are victims of certain prejudices regarding singleness and marriage.” Some prejudices that they are wrong, because as you can see, scientists affirm that a married life does not make you happier, rather everything contrary.

Benefits of being single

The benefits of being single are many. By not having to share your life with someone, you also have more time to invest in yourself. If you are smart enough to realize that marriage is nothing more than a social imposition and that you can enjoy your single life, your quality of life can increase considerably.

In summary, the benefits of being single are as follows:

• Lets you know yourself: Many people who are in a relationship depend so much on their relationship with the other that they do not take the time necessary to enjoy who they really are and the great potential they have to do what they wish. That's not being selfish, it's having self love. In fact, there are many people who are in a relationship and all they want is to change the other to be as they want. Isn't that more selfish?
• Perfect to see the world: It may happen that you feel the need to explore the world, but someone ties you. It's ideal if the other person wants to do it too, but that's not easy to find. When you are single you go to the places you want to go without having to explain yourself to anyone.
• You invest time in yourself and seek your self-realization: You have time for the person who loves you the most, yourself. Nothing stops you from being who you want to be.
• You don't have ongoing discussions: If you argue with someone, it's with yourself. If you do not have a partner, you cannot discuss your needs and your motivations with another. You decide what and when you will do it.
• You enjoy more friends: Some studies show that single people have more friendships and interact more with other people.

If you want to know more about these benefits, you can read our article: “Is it possible to be single and be happy? The 8 benefits of not having a partner”

Conclusion

This does not mean that you should stay single forever, to avoid unhappiness.. It simply refers to the fact that being single has its virtues. Everyone is free to make the decision they want, and it is possible to be happy as a couple. According to this study, however, many people give up a part of themselves to satisfy their partner, something that in the end seems to make them less happy.

You can be in a relationship if you are not really afraid of being single and have found in the other person someone who complements you and respects you just as you are. That is what is known as mature love. To go deeper into this topic, you can click here.