Something that is contagious is often insidious, hiding just far enough to quickly activate and attack when the right conditions are present. But are all contagions that way? In the case of divorce, it might be quite the opposite. It might actually be the cure to what ails the divorcee.
The infected in this case are those in the circle of someone who is thinking about divorce. An April 2014 joint study from Brown University, Yale University and the University of California, San Diego, found that people are 75 percent more likely to be divorced if one of their friends is divorced. But why is that? Is it a herd mentality, or is it just like a high school dance — everyone's waiting for the first couple on the floor before having enough courage to do so?
"People often stay in unfulfilling marriages because they don't want to be blamed for ruining the dynamics of the friend group, or the family," explains Christie Hartman, a Denver-based dating and relationship expert. "But if one of their friends blazes the trail first, and they see that their friends survived the trauma, it's easier."
For more:
How getting divorced can be contagious (NY Post)