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New brides suffering 'post-nuptial' depression

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Marie Claire Lifestyle: Wedding Dress

The post-wedding blues has been officially recognised as a form of depression as doctors warn of a growing number of brides who suffer 'post-nuptial depression', because of the unrealistic expectations they place on wedded bliss.

If you're feeling rather flat following your big day, then you're not alone, say psychologists, who have revealed that around 10% of newly-married women have sought counselling to combat their melancholy slump, post wedding day.

One San Francisco psychologist, Dr Michelle Gannon, said he had noticed an increasing number of couples who were upset by the number of rows they were having after saying 'I do', as they had expected marital bliss to be a bed or roses.

'I tell them: "Where did you get the idea that you weren't supposed to fight" You are. It's normal,' he told Time magazine.

'It's also normal to remain independent and to be responsible for your own happiness. It's unrealistic to presume your partner is going to do everything for you.'

One explanation for brides who suffer the blues is apparently the decline in the release of hormones that encourage affection.

Gannon continued: 'Couples end up having less sex precisely when they think they should be having more. That is understandably stressful.'

The latest research comes from a study of married couples in California and one further stumbling block is the lack of communication between partners. Researchers say men bottle up their feelings and women are too embarrassed to talk about marital issues.