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A recent study found gender disparities in antidepressant usage following the dissolution of relationships among individuals aged 50 to 70 in Finland between 1996 and 2018. 

Analyzing data from 228,644 participants who experienced a breakup, divorce, or bereavement, the study found notable differences in antidepressant use between men and women. In the study, researchers observed that women exhibited a significantly higher increase in antidepressant use leading up to and following a breakup compared to men. 

Before the event, 6% of women were taking antidepressants, compared to 3.2% of men. Additionally, both men and women experienced an increase in antidepressant use in the six months leading up to divorce, with a 5% rise in men and a 7% increment in women. While usage stabilized after one year, it remained elevated compared to pre-divorce levels.

Factors contributing to gender disparities

The study suggests that these patterns may indicate greater emotional challenges for women in adjusting to relationship breakdowns later in life. Factors such as gender differences in family roles, responsibilities, and economic status could also contribute to the disproportionate use of antidepressants among women.

Impacts of divorce on mental health

Furthermore, the research highlights that more men tend to re-partner after a breakup or bereavement compared to women, with no significant gender difference among those who had divorced. This trend may reflect the differing impacts of union dissolution on mental health between genders, with marriage potentially benefiting men's mental health to a greater extent.

Getting mental health support after a breakup

As gray divorce -- divorce that happens in long-term marriages of couples over the age of 50 -- rates rise in high-income countries, understanding these gender-specific effects on mental health is crucial. 

Freeths family law partner Gavin Scott emphasized the mental strain experienced by individuals, particularly women, navigating divorce proceedings and uncertain financial futures. Access to mental health support services is highlighted as a vital resource for individuals coping with the aftermath of relationship breakdowns.