Being single is harder on men than it is on women

pulse

November 23, 2017 4:55 PM

A study carried out by a British research company found that guys are much more likely to want to partner up than women.

Being single can be a drag, but according to a new study by the British research firm Mintel, some of us are better at it than others.

The survey found that 61 percent of single women reported they were content on their own. Men, on the other hand, weren't so comfortable—only 49 percent said they were content without a mate.

The study also found that guys are much more likely to want to partner up than women; 75 percent of women said they hadn't actively pursued finding a partner in the past year, compared to 65 percent of men who said the same.

Anyone who's been through a bad breakup knows the struggle of being single again. Your whole life has changed and it can be tricky to adjust, especially when it feels like your ex is doing just fine.

Part of the problem may be that men face far more social pressure to repress their feelings and not talk about them with their peers. But talking through things with your friends can help, and it's something that women do better than men, according to Jack Duckett, a Senior Consumer Lifestyles Analyst at Mintel. Women are "typically better at creating support groups with whom they can discuss their thoughts and feelings, putting less pressure on the need for a relationship," he told Moneyish.

Men, on the other hand, have a harder time opening up—and without a partner to confide in, they could feel especially uncomfortable.

"[With] many men still largely finding it difficult to be open about their thoughts and feelings, the absence of a partner could mean that they have no one they can talk with about issues affecting them,” Duckett told Moneyish. "With this in mind, it is perhaps unsurprising that unattached males struggle to enjoy their single status."

In a blog post about the survey, Duckett also noted that many men and women are now pursuing a way of life that isn't conducive to a relationship.

“It is easy to assume that all singletons are actively looking for a partner; however, our data shows that this is far from always being the case," Duckett wrote. "Much of this reluctance to look for a partner can be attributed to the young increasingly prioritizing their education, careers and financial stability over being in relationships.”

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