Telling your friends about your relationship problems makes you more likely to break up, says science

Bitching to a friend about relationship dramas is one of the most cathartic universal experiences we have, but supposedly it’s making our relationships worse, according to a new study.

Most of us feel like speaking to someone outside the situation lets you vent, feel better, get some perspective. But new research says that when we talk to other girls about relationship woes, they become jealous and add to the problem. Scientists based this assumption on the fact that women who poured their heart out to a girlfriend were a third more likely to break up with a partner – and none of them seemed to entertain the notion that that was because friends have your best interests at heart and maybe the person you’re fighting with all the time is a bit of a prick.

The Bechdel-test failing research was led by family therapist Dr Jakob Jensen, who said: “Our findings suggest that turning away from your partner to a friend may only exacerbate relationship problems and contribute to romantic instability.

“Sharing of romantic problems within a social network appears to have the potential to negatively impact. Our findings clarify how adult females share their romantic challenges with partners and friends over time and the romantic impact of doing so.”

The study interviewed 67 women in their twenties, and found that sharing concerns with a friend increased the odds of a break up by 33 per cent. They concluded it was because it means friends often see the boyfriend only in the negative.

The report, which was in no way motivated by scientists who have tried to fuck people over and then been caught up by concerned gal pals, absolutely categorically not, went on to say: “Avoiding these discussions of romantic issues with a partner is linked with lower perceptions of romantic closeness and poorer romantic well-being.”

“Our study suggests that, for better and sometimes for worse, the social network does not sit idly by while people struggle in their romantic unions.”

I mean it won’t stop anyone.