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Unrealistic Expectations in Marital Life Drive Brides to Post-nuptial Depression

by Hannah Punitha on Nov 27 2008 7:15 PM

Due to unrealistic expectations of married life, a growing number of British brides are turning to counselling in order to deal with post-nuptial depression, medical experts have warned.

According to psychologists, about 10 percent of newly-married women are seeking counselling to cope with their "secret sadness.

Dr Michelle Gannon, a San Francisco psychologist, said that a rising number of couples were finding it difficult to deal with the inevitable rows, having expected a life of marital bliss, reports the Telegraph.

I tell them: 'Where did you get the idea that you weren't supposed to fight' You are. It's normal, he told Time magazine.

It's also normal to remain independent and to be responsible for you own happiness. It's unrealistic to presume your partner is going to do everything for you, the expert added.

The researcher said that a decline in the release of hormones that stimulate affection could help explain why new brides feel low after marriage, and why sex lives can decline.

Couples end up having less sex precisely when they think they should be having more. That is understandably stressful, Dr Gannon said.

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According to experts, the problems are exacerbated by men who bottle up their feelings and women who are too embarrassed to talk about their marital problems.

The research is based on studies of married couples in California.

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Source-ANI
SPH


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