January 17, 2010
John Tesh, longtime host of the television program Entertainment Tonight, and host of the John Tesh Radio Show syndicated on 360 stations, discussed Fathers & Families‘ Board Chairman Dr. Ned Holstein’s views on “Sudden Divorce Syndrome” on his show last Thursday. According to one poll, 25% of divorced men say they were completely broadsided by their partner”s request for a divorce.
Holstein, MD, a Harvard-trained public health specialist, explains that there is a physical toll from divorce, brought on by excess stress. He notes:
The Top 5 causes of human stress are: 1) the death of a child 2) the loss of a spouse 3) the loss of a home 4) serious financial woes and 5) losing a relationship with a child….four of these five are involved when someone goes through a divorce…
According to a study done by the American Journal of Psychiatry, blood pressure and cholesterol levels rise and the risk of heart disease and coronary failure increases sharply. Other problems associated with Sudden Divorce Syndrome include diabetes and cirrhosis of the liver, in part because distraught people may turn to unhealthy behaviors, like drinking, after a break up. Divorced men are nine times more likely to commit suicide than divorced women.