Women suffer more from breakups but recover better, study finds

Research reveals several clues about how we cope with love breakups.

One of the worst experiences we human beings can suffer is when the person we love tells us that it's over, that our paths are parting. But it is even worse when, in addition, they have left you for someone else. Well, if you are a woman and this happens to you, instead of getting depressed, you should take out one of your best smiles, because a study affirms that after the abandonment comes the best thing.

Recommended article: "The 6 uncomfortable truths about breaking up with a partner".

Women experience more pain after a break-up

It seems that when it comes to suffering and recovering from a breakup, there are differences between the sexes.. Women experience greater emotional pain, but they also recover much better, according to a study conducted by Binghamton University.

A group of researchers from this university in collaboration with a group of researchers from University College London asked 5,705 participants from 96 countries what their level of pain was after a breakup on a scale of one to ten. They found that women feel greater pain after a breakup, as they they scored higher on the physical and emotional pain scales..

On average, women rated their emotional pain at 6.84 points, while men scored 6.58 on this scale. As for physical pain, women scored 4.21 and men 3.75.

Women recover sooner after a break-up

While women show greater emotional and physical pain after a breakup, they recover sooner from the shock than men. The reason seems to be that they become emotionally stronger. As Craig Morris, one of the researchers at Binghamton University and director of the study, explains, "These differences have to do with biology, these differences have to do with biology.. Women have more to lose if they get together with the wrong man, because this can have long-term consequences for them.

In addition, Morrison states, "Women have evolved to be more invested in a relationship than a man," Morris explains. "A sporadic intimate encounter can lead a woman to nine months of pregnancy, followed by many years of child rearing. In contrast, a man is able to disappear from the scene in a matter of minutes, without any Biological investment. It is this risk of a high biological investment that, after centuries of evolution, has made women select their partners better. In addition, the breakup of a partner means greater suffering for women because it is thus more difficult for them to leave a partner who can be positive for them."

"On the other hand, the man may feel great pain from the loss for a longer period of time and may come to feel that it is a competition in which he must replace the lost partner. Worse, he may come to the conclusion that the loss is irreplaceable," Morris adds.

Breakups are normal

Morris says that breakups are important because each of us will experience at least three by the age of 30and some that can lead to serious problems for a period of time, which can affect us for weeks or months, or even years.

"Individuals may lose their jobs and students may miss classes or fail exams as a result of a relationship breakup. In addition, some individuals may engage in serious self-destructive behaviors. With a greater emotional and physical understanding of couple breakups, it is possible to mitigate these detrimental effects on individuals," Morris himself concludes.

Recommended article: "The 5 phases to overcome the grief of a breakup".

Why is it so hard to forget your ex-partner?

The truth is that overcoming a breakup is not always easy. And if the person has reached the depths of our heart, we can go through a severe existential crisis. Although suffering is normal, it is socially frowned upon for an individual to suffer for another individual, as many associate it with a weak personality.

Forgetting about a great love is a process that takes time and can have its ups and downs because falling out of love is not a linear process. Some experts affirm that it is necessary to overcome a series of phases similar to those of the loss of any loved one. In these cases, time is our best ally.

But why do you still think about him or her and continue to suffer if so much time has passed? If you want to know the answer to this question, we invite you to read our article: "Why can't I stop thinking about my ex? 4 keys to understand it".