Shed a tear for the single woman. She’s sitting at home alone, staring longingly at her phone and sobbing into her pillowcase.
Or is she?
According to a recent study by Pew Research Centre and Happify, the lonely singleton is about as mythical as a Game of Thrones episode.
Single people are more likely to connect with their friends, parents, siblings and neighbours – and provide and receive help from them. Such acts of altruism are proven to boost mental health. In short, helpers are happier.

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On top of that, single people are believed to be fitter and more content at work (job satisfaction tends to decrease after a major life event like a marriage, especially for women).
The upshot? Perhaps Hollywood needs to rethink happily ever after.
Kathryn is an Australian-based freelance writer and editor and spends her days writing about feminism, fashion and everything in between. She’s also written for Grazia, InStyle, Qantas and Home Beautiful, and is the editor and founder of Lonely Continent.
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