Here is yet another reason why having a stable loving marriage is good for you. If you have a health issue, it is better to be married.
Researchers at the University of British Columbia studied the impact of health issues are they related to marriage. This was more of a financial study, which showed that main earners who become ill or disabled are “compensated” by being cared for by a spouse or “second earner.”
What was really interesting about the study is that it showed that mean who become ill or disabled early in life don’t do as well as men who become ill or disabled later. This seems to be, according to the study, because either the men don’t get married at all or their marriages end early.
But really do we really need a study to show that marriage is a positive support system for someone who becomes disabled or ill? For two people who are committed to each other, dealing with such a setback while difficult, should be a journey taken together. The standard marriage vow, after all, is “in sickness and health.”
I want to go one step more with this by saying that the spouse who isn’t ill or disabled can benefit as well by taking over the role of caring or helping a spouse. Working as a team and having your spouse trust you enough to allow care and support can bring the two of you closer together. It can also challenge the so called “second earner” to grow in positive ways.
What do you think? Have you ever been in a situation where your spouse or yourself became disabled? How did the two of you deal with it all? What were the positive impacts and negative impact on your marriage? Please leave your comments. I would love to hear about your experience.