The Happy Marriage: Cold, Hard Facts to Consider

Benefits

In movies, the internet and television, marriage is portrayed as "sexless, boring and oppressive"(Marcotte, 2009, p. 1).  This may be true for many people in the "real" world, but research reveals that married couples, including women are far from oppressed.  There are many benefits of being married.  There are exceptions, but overall married people have:    

• Better health
• Are generally happier
• A reduction in depressive symptoms
• A higher life satisfaction
• Better mental health

Cohabitation

Many couples are afraid to jump right in to marriage, so they choose to "test drive" their relationships by moving in together.  Usually men and women who move into together don't understand the realities of premarital cohabitation.  There is a higher rate of divorce for couples who live together before marriage and lower marital quality.  Couples who lived together before marriage have reported lower levels of marital satisfaction than married couples who did not live together.  Infidelity is also more common among marriages where the couple had lived together before they got married as well as physical aggression.  

There is so much clear evidence that good marriages are undoubtedly worth the work, sacrifice, and commitment they require.  There are many unique benefits to marriage, and the disadvantages of alternative family forms are all too common.  Marriage benefits begin at the ceremony, and spread into the lives of husbands, wives, their children throughout time; then eventually help to reinforce neighborhoods, communities, and the world.