SAEDNEWS: While breakups are emotionally taxing for everyone, surprising new research reveals that men may actually suffer more deeply than women after a relationship ends. Here's why—and what it means for emotional well-being in a gendered world.
According to SAEDNEWS, Breakups are rarely clean, rarely painless, and almost never mutual in how they affect each person involved. We often hear that women are the more emotional gender—crying over love lost while men "move on." But science tells a different story.
Researchers from Humboldt University of Berlin analyzed over 50 studies on heterosexual relationships, and their conclusion is clear:
Men, not women, are more likely to struggle after a breakup.
🔹 Men are less likely to initiate breakups, even in unsatisfying relationships.
🔹 After a breakup, men feel lonelier and more emotionally adrift than women.
🔹 Men are more dependent on their romantic partners for emotional support.
🔹 Women, on the other hand, often have broader support networks and are more accustomed to sharing their feelings.
“For men, long-term relationships tend to serve as their main emotional outlet,” explains lead researcher Iris Währing. “That’s why breakups often hit them harder.”
From childhood, many boys are taught to “man up,” to bottle emotions and avoid vulnerability. Girls are generally encouraged to express themselves, build emotional bonds, and seek help when hurting.
As co-author Paul Van Lange notes:
“Even little boys are told to be tough. Little girls? They’re allowed to cry, to talk, to lean on others.”
This gendered pattern continues into adulthood. So when relationships end, women often have emotional outlets—friends, family, therapy—while men feel stranded.
Beyond heartbreak, the impact can go deeper:
Mental health declines.
Physical health suffers.
Even life expectancy can be affected.
In fact, studies have shown that men in long-term relationships live longer and report higher life satisfaction. It’s not just emotional—it’s biological.
This research is a wake-up call—not just for men, but for all of us:
✅ Encourage emotional openness in boys and men.
✅ Destigmatize therapy and emotional expression.
✅ Recognize that both men and women need support after a breakup.
✅ Break the myth that “men don’t feel it.”
The study, published in Behavioural and Brain Sciences, emphasizes one powerful truth:
Everyone needs connection. Everyone needs support.
You’re revisiting the same painful issues again and again.
Communication has broken down—or turned toxic.
You're staying out of comfort, not love.
The relationship is harming your mental or physical health.
Couples therapy isn’t just for crisis—it can help you reconnect or part with clarity.
Heartbreak doesn't play favorites. But the silence surrounding male emotional pain means many suffer in the shadows. It’s time we changed that narrative—and allowed everyone the space to heal.
