We usually think breakups hit men harder. In their denial that they’re not affected, we usually see long-term consequences. However, a new study suggests men find healthy ways to cope with heartbreak.
As per researchers from the University of British Columbia men utilize self-help resources or spend time with their loved ones.
Two authors of a new study from the University of British Columbia, Dr John Oliffe and Mary T. Kelly, found that men find creative ways to seek help.
Dr. John Oliffe, the senior author of the study and professor of nursing, shared how he believed that most men only sought professional help, such as from a counselor.
Yet, his study revealed that the 47 Canadian and Australian men, who were interviewed for the study, proved men ‘creatively’ used other strategies to cope. In a in a university release he said;
“About a quarter of the men said they did a lot of internet searches for blogs, coaches and other resources.”
However, it’s interesting that the participants in the sample were younger men with short-lived relationships.
“These guys typically were younger or their relationships had shorter durations. They reached out to friends or family members, not necessarily to find a solution, but to chat things through, or they read self-help books.”
On the other hand, men who had been in longer-lasting relationships were more likely to seek out ‘community-based help’ like a local single dad’s group with members who had similar experiences.
About half the men also sought professional help, like counseling. Additionally, these men normally had a pre-existing mental illness. Mary T. Kelly, the research co-author of the study, pointed out how their study challenges the stereotype about men avoiding getting help after breakups.
“This paper disrupts the stereotype that men do not go to the doctor and they don’t want help. It shatters the trope that men aren’t emotional and aren’t affected as much as the rest of us by a breakup.”
She also shared how men are comfortable being vulnerable too.
“We also tend to think that men don’t do introspection or vulnerability, but a lot of the men were really engaging in that deep kind of work.”
What do you think of the study? Are these results concrete or situational? Let us know in the comments below.
