For Some People, the Hardest Part of a Breakup May Come Years Before It Happens

People with a higher genetic risk of depression appear to experience the greatest psychological strain in the years leading up to a breakup rather than after the relationship ends, according to a large Finnish study. The findings suggest that genetic vulnerability may make some individuals especially sensitive to prolonged relationship difficulties, with signs of worsening mental health emerging several years before separation.

The paper, titled "Do Genetics Shape Mental Health Trajectories Around Partnership Transitions?" was authored by Philipp Dierker, Maria Gueltzow, Hannu Lahtinen, Mine Kühn, Pekka Martikainen, and Mikko Myrskylä. Published in the Journal of Marriage and Family, the study contributes to a growing body of research showing that both biology and relationship experiences play important roles in long-term psychological well-being.

How Relationships Influence Mental Health

Romantic relationships can be an important source of emotional support, companionship, and security, but they can also become major sources of stress. Partners continuously influence one another through daily interactions, communication patterns, expectations, and emotional support.

Mental health difficulties rarely affect only one person in a relationship. Depression, anxiety, and chronic stress can influence conflict, intimacy, communication, and relationship stability, while ongoing relationship problems may also worsen existing psychological vulnerabilities.

Researchers increasingly view couples as interconnected systems rather than two independent individuals. Patterns such as criticism, emotional withdrawal, dependence, or ineffective conflict resolution can create cycles that reinforce distress, whereas trust, empathy, and constructive communication often help couples navigate difficult periods more successfully.

Individual characteristics—including personality, attachment style, and emotional regulation—also influence how people respond to relationship challenges and transitions.

How the Study Was Conducted

The study was led by Philipp Dierker of the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research.

The researchers investigated whether genetic vulnerability to depression influences mental health before and after two major relationship transitions: forming a romantic partnership and experiencing a breakup.

To answer this question, they analyzed genetic information and national health records from the FINRISK study and the Health 2000 and Health 2011 surveys, which included Finnish adults between 25 and 74 years of age.

These population-based surveys were linked with nationwide records containing information on partnership status, prescription medication purchases, education, and demographic characteristics.

The final analysis included 36,961 participants with both genetic and registry data. Between 1997 and 2019, 7,888 individuals entered a romantic union and 7,375 experienced the dissolution of a relationship.

Rather than relying on self-reported mental health, the researchers tracked antidepressant purchases from five years before until five years after each relationship transition, using prescription records as an indirect measure of psychological distress.

Depression Risk Increased Years Before Separation

Overall, 7.7% of participants purchased antidepressants during the year they entered a romantic relationship.

By comparison, 14% purchased antidepressants during the year their relationship ended, highlighting the substantial emotional burden often associated with separation.

The most notable finding emerged after accounting for participants' genetic predisposition to depression.

Individuals with a higher genetic risk showed a clear increase in antidepressant use beginning approximately four to five years before their relationship ended.

Antidepressant purchases gradually increased during this period but then declined as the breakup approached, with much of the difference disappearing after the relationship officially ended.

According to the researchers, this pattern suggests that the prolonged deterioration of a relationship may be psychologically more difficult than the breakup itself for people who are genetically vulnerable to depression.

Rather than the separation causing the greatest distress, the years of ongoing conflict, uncertainty, or emotional strain leading up to it may represent the most challenging period.

Men and Women Responded Differently to New Relationships

The researchers also examined mental health after participants entered new romantic relationships.

They expected that people with a higher genetic risk for depression might experience either greater improvement or greater psychological difficulty following the formation of a partnership.

Instead, they found a short-term increase in antidepressant purchases among women with higher genetic vulnerability after entering a new relationship.

No similar association was observed among men.

The authors caution that this finding should not be interpreted as evidence that romantic relationships worsen women's mental health.

Instead, they suggest that beginning a new relationship may encourage some women to seek treatment or continue antidepressant medication that they had previously delayed or interrupted.

Important Limitations

The researchers note several limitations that should be considered when interpreting the findings.

The study relied on antidepressant purchases rather than direct assessments of depression. Because these medications are also prescribed for anxiety disorders, chronic pain, sleep problems, and other conditions, prescription records provide only an indirect measure of psychological distress.

The study was also observational, meaning it cannot determine cause and effect.

It remains unclear whether worsening mental health contributes to relationship breakdown, whether deteriorating relationships trigger depression, or whether both processes reinforce one another over time.

In addition, all participants lived in Finland. Cultural differences in healthcare systems, relationship patterns, and attitudes toward mental health may limit how broadly the findings apply to other countries.

What the Findings Mean

Despite these limitations, the study highlights the years before separation as a potentially important window for psychological support.

For individuals with a higher genetic susceptibility to depression, prolonged relationship conflict may gradually increase emotional distress long before a breakup occurs.

The findings also suggest that genetics do not appear to substantially alter people's immediate psychological responses to entering or leaving a relationship. Instead, genetic vulnerability seems to play a larger role during the slow decline of relationships over time.

The authors conclude that understanding both genetic predisposition and relationship experiences may help identify people who could benefit from earlier mental health support before emotional difficulties become more severe.

Article prepared by Dr. Alex Morgan.