Being single and happy is not everyone's cup of tea; some really feel the pressure to have a romantic partner. And, a recent study shows that it's men, who feel more pressure to be in a relationship than women.
The study conducted by dating website eHarmony and relationships support charity Relate showed that 71% of bachelors feel 'significant pressure' to find a partner, as compared to 58% of the opposite sex.
"Surprising though it may seem, it's single men rather than women who feel under more pressure to find a partner," says eHarmony psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulous.
Dr Linda added: "They also report higher levels of loneliness. This challenges the traditional idea of the happy-go-lucky bachelor who is more suited to single life than his female equivalent."
This is mainly because women tend to capitalise on strong friendships as compared to men. Also, men tend to miss physical intimacy more than women too.
In fact, it was found that 59% of the participants said that they would rather be in a relationship with a wrong person than be single.
However, people have also reported that being single has brought about personal independence, time for new hobbies, enjoy new sexual encounters and more.
"While almost half of the respondents said that feeling lonely was a downside to being single, it can also be an opportunity to learn about yourself and build independence," says Relate's chief executive, Chris Sherwood.
Chris Sherwood added: "It's, therefore, a shame that so many single people, and especially men, are feeling pressure to settle down and find a new partner."
Romain Bertrand, of eHarmony, told the Independent that it's encouraging to see many people actively enjoy being on their own.
"However, we also know that many singles feel burned out and jaded by casual dating," Bertrand added.
