The number of people who stay unmarried until their late forties or even forever is rising. Despite the rise in singles, they nonetheless attract criticism. Single people are stereotyped, stigmatised, marginalised, and discriminated against, especially lifelong singles.
Single people often defy expectations about their unhappy, lonely, and empty lifestyles.
Staying unmarried boosts personal growth.
Over 1,000 unmarried adults were compared to over 3,000 married people of comparable ages in a National Survey of Families and Households analysis. Singles reported more personal growth than married people. More likely to agree with comments like:
Singles report more independence.
Singles agreed more with statements like: in the same study than married people.
Childless single ladies over 70 flourish.
A mid-seventies study of over 10,000 Australian women contrasted lifelong single women without children to married with children, married without children, previously married with children, and previously married without children.
Lifelong single women without children excelled in many areas.
Lifelong single women without children outperformed other women on four of 12 physical health indicators.
Singles later in life find it easier than married folks.
A survey of 65-year-old divorced, widowed, or always single adults questioned about single life's obstacles and stresses. Social unhappiness, privacy, and support availability were among these issues. Lifelong singles expressed less stress than married folks.
Many daily tasks may be easier for lifelong singles than marrieds.
Many married couples share domestic chores, finances, and social schedules. Even mental tasks like remembering birthdays are occasionally given to one spouse. This technique works as long as the marriage lasts.
After the divorce, the new single may not know how to accomplish all the things their spouse covered. However, lifetime singles have usually mastered all of these chores or found or hired aid. This claim is primarily supported by suggestive evidence.
Living alone can reduce loneliness in old age.
In Happy Singlehood, Psychology Today writer Elyakim Kislev compared the loneliness of singles to married people. At 65, lifetime singles were about a quarter of a point lonelier than married adults.
However, married people are increasingly lonely as adults. Kislev observed "the proportion of married people feeling lonely is about 50% higher at age 60 than at age 30, and doubles at age 90."
Meanwhile, lifelong singles get less lonely. Married persons are the loneliest at 70, and this persists throughout life. Lifelong singles feel less alone.
Single people are happy in midlife to old age.
The research of 40-85-year-olds found that lifelong singles got more content with their lives as they matured. The outcomes were more complicated for couples.
Studies that compare people of diverse marital statuses at one time cannot prove causality. I think those who choose to be single are more likely to succeed than those who are single reluctantly.
Finally, while I appreciate the data showing how lifelong singles defy expectations, I'd be happy if marital status didn't matter. Some people are better off single, while others are better off married. Whatever our path, we should be happy, healthy, and meaningful.