Study Reveals Couples Commonly Share Mental Health Issues

Have you ever noticed that certain couples just seem to have similar troubles? A recent comprehensive study suggests you might be onto something. This research examined generations of couples and their mental health issues globally.

Published in the journal Nature Human Behavior, the study analyzed data from nearly 15 million individuals. Researchers from institutions in Denmark, Taiwan, and the U.S. discovered that partners often share psychiatric diagnoses, and this pattern has persisted for over fifty years.

This new research built upon a 2016 study focused solely on Swedish data. A team from Oklahoma’s Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Denmark’s Institute of Biological Psychiatry, and Taiwan’s National Health Research Institutes utilized national registries from these countries to explore how frequently couples share psychological diagnoses.

In this study, the experts looked into nine mental health disorders: anorexia nervosa, anxiety, ADHD, autism, bipolar disorder, depression, OCD, schizophrenia, and substance use disorder.

By categorizing data into generational cohorts from the 1930s to the 1990s, researchers found a slight increase in couples sharing diagnoses—known scientifically as “spousal correlations.” This trend seemed especially notable for substance use disorders, likely linked to the surge in recreational drug use during the 1960s.

The researchers also noted that when one partner suffers from any of the nine disorders, the other partner is likely to share that diagnosis as well. However, there were some exceptions; for instance, Taiwanese couples were more prone to share OCD diagnoses compared to those in Nordic countries, and neither bipolar disorder nor anorexia appeared in couples across all cultures.

“The main finding is that this pattern is consistent across different countries and cultures, and even across generations,” stated Chun Chieh Fan, a geneticist involved in the study, during an interview with Nature. He also pointed out that this trend has remained stable despite significant changes in psychiatric care over time.

Although the study didn’t explore the reasons behind this shared pattern, Fan proposed a few theories. “Perhaps they understand each other better due to shared suffering, which might draw them together,” he suggested.

Additionally, he mentioned that growing up in similar environments could lead to greater similarities, making it more likely for individuals to connect. There’s also the unsettling possibility that mental health stigma limits dating options for those facing similar issues.

Regardless of the reasons behind these intriguing findings, it’s significant that couples from diverse cultures and generations frequently share mental health challenges. In a way, it’s almost comforting—or, I think, romantic—to imagine that, perhaps, your spouse struggles with the same issues you do.