SINGLE [VS] MARRIED

I prefer being single. There is a lot more freedom.

Ever since the Bridget Jones phenomenon catapulted single life into the British mainstream, the single vs couple debate has raged. Numerous surveys and reports have been carried out to prove that singles are happier, or that couples have a longer life expectancy. And now that uncovering the secrets of human happiness has become one of the key agendas for psychologists and governments, research budgets are increasing. In 2004 there were seven million people living alone in Britain, nearly four times as many as in 1961, according to relationship research organisation One Plus One. And, as Barbara Feldon pointed out in her bestselling book 'Living Alone and Loving It', there are tens of millions of people living alone in the world, many more than are living in nuclear families. As cultural perceptions shift, so do our expectations of coupledom and solitude. Meanwhile, as divorce rates rise, and the two-parent family declines, the traditional view of marriage as the most desirable state has been thrown into question. The positive outcome? Being single and proud has finally been accepted as a viable life choice. The downside is that many of us feel more confused than ever. On the one hand there is the idealised life of the carefree, independent woman, yet we still grow up conditioned by fairytales, classic novels and Hollywood movies to believe that 'happy ever after' means happily married. So is there an answer to this uniquely modern debate? Which is better for your long-term happiness and mental health, being single or being part of a couple?