“Birds of a feather flock together” is a cliche for a reason when it comes to romantic relationships. Shared religious beliefs, values, political affiliation and even music taste all influence attraction and satisfaction in a relationship. But a recent study has now identified another unexpected factor that may bring couples closer together: sharing a similar mental health diagnosis.
The concept of romantic partners sharing a psychiatric diagnosis is not new. Indeed, between 1964 and 1985 several studies that explored the reasons why people choose their romantic partners included psychiatric diagnosis as a variable. However, no large-scale, cross-cultural investigation had been conducted until recently.
