Good News Singletons! Not Being In A Couple Has A Surprisingly Positive Effect On Your Mental Health

If pop culture were to be believed then every single woman in her twenties and thirties would be an emotional wreck constantly dipping into a tub of ice cream to find comfort and sobbing into a bottle of wine every time a date doesn’t go quite to plan.

But the reality couldn’t be further from the truth.

At least that’s the conclusion drawn from a presentation on singledom at the American Psychological Association’s 124th Annual Convention.

In it, psychologist Bella DePaulo explained that far from the stereotype of the lonely singleton, people who welcome being on their own are actually “more likely to experience more psychological growth than their married counterparts” and undergo “a sense of continued growth and development as a person.”

Basically, she’s summing up the advice you’ve probably heard from countless friends while going through a breakup: being single is prime time to focus on you, and you alone.

Like this post? You’ll love this: 6 Things To Remember When You’re The Only Single Girl Left In Your Friendship Group

Refreshing, right?

But there’s more. DePaulo claims that happily single people tend to have stronger relationships with their friends and family and are also more likely to love their jobs, confirming the idea that you don’t need a partner to feel fulfilled.

Other recent findings on the topic of being single found that being minus a plus one was more costly thanks to the added cost of rent and bills.

But while flying solo might mean a little less cash in your pocket at the end of each month, it could also garner big benefits for your wellbeing, and who could put a price on that, eh?

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