A new study has revealed that even as deaths from alcohol, drug overdoses, and suicides continue to rise in the U.S., those who are married are less likely to succumb to these deaths of despair.
The research examined data between 2000 and 2021, which showed that mortality rates for drug overdose, alcohol abuse, and suicide all rose among those 25 and older. But the study found a striking difference between single and married Americans: “[T]he nonmarried exhibit mortality rates 2 to 3 times higher in alcohol and suicide deaths and 4 to 5 times higher in drug-related deaths compared to the married population.”
As noted by sociologist Rosemary Hopcroft, “These results indicate that not only does marriage protect against deaths of despair, but the positive effect of marriage has been increasing over the last 20 years.” She went on to observe that this phenomenon is especially important for working class Americans, who have experienced a particularly acute breakdown in families through a decline in marriages, which is often brought on by economic distress.
“[T]he protective effect of marriage in preventing deaths of despair is similar to the protective effect of education,” Hopcroft added. “This is one more reason the decline of marriage has been catastrophic, particularly for poorly educated white men. This suggests that revitalizing marriage and supporting stable families would do as much for decreasing deaths of despair as increasing levels of education.”
This most recent study adds additional data to the growing body of evidence that establishes the individual and societal benefits of marriage. Statistics show that marriage increases happiness and financial stability, predicts whether people are “thriving” and say their lives have “meaning and purpose,” fights loneliness, increases sexual satisfaction, increases physical health as well as mental health, helps children thrive, lowers crime, increases homeownership, and a host of other positive outcomes.
In comments to The Washington Stand, Family Research Council Senior Fellow Joseph Backholm was not surprised by the new study showing decreased deaths of despair among those who are married.
“This makes a lot of sense,” he remarked. “These days, we’re taught to believe that personal happiness is the greatest good and that putting yourself first is the best way to be happy. The problem is that putting yourself first discourages the formation of relationships that makes your life meaningful to others. We say we want happiness, but there’s good reason to believe what we really want is to believe we matter to someone else. All the pleasure in the world is trivial if we don’t feel like anyone really cares about us.”
“If you’ve got a spouse and children, you’re much more likely to believe your life matters to someone else,” Backholm concluded.
Dan Hart is senior editor at The Washington Stand.