Staying single in your teens saved you from depression, study claims

If you have spent your teenage years without a girlfriend or boyfriend and felt low about it; then don’t - because that was actually a good thing, according to science.

Researchers from the University of Denver claim that romantic teenage relationships can lead to several problems, from depression and anxiety to alcohol abuse.

The project involved studying 200 16-year-olds for nine years, asking them to complete questionnaires about their romantic relationships as well as assessing their level of anxiety, depression and social withdrawal.

The participants were also asked about their drug and alcohol use and their current feelings of happiness and satisfaction within their relationship.

The researchers found that teens involved in romantic relationships experienced more emotional issues, were likely to suffer from social withdrawal and drank more than the single 16-year-olds, and those who started relationships at later ages, as reported in the Metro.