The line when couples get married, "Till death do us part," is a famous line that most people tend to forget when they're filing for divorce. But for those who took their vows to heart, specifically men who truly did have death part them with their wife the line can be heart wrenching. But with time, moving on may not sound like a bad idea, especially when new research finds it can help prevent mental illness.

Men who lost their wife to cancer and remain single are at a greater risk of developing a mental illness, according to Professor Gunnar Steineck of the University of Gothernburg, Sweden, who worked on the unique study that was carried out at the Sahlgrenska Academy.

The reason behind the study is the fact that more than 22,000 people die of cancer in Sweden each year, and that it has been scientifically proven that relatives left by the deceased are at greater risk of dying themselves or developing mental and physical illness. However, most studies tend to focus only on widows.

In Professor Steineck's study, they followed 691 Swedish men who lost their wives to cancer. During the course of their study, researchers found that widowers who had found a new partner four to five years after the death of their wife, or those who found themselves in a relationship after their loss, were able to deal with their loss relatively well.

On the other hand, those whose relationship status remained single were at far greater risk of developing depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, emotional blunting, and were more likely to use sleeping pills and antidepressants.

Moving On

The loss of a loved one, especially a person's other half, so to speak, is certainly a difficult thing to overcome. The loss can be so disheartening that a person can be left paralyzed, if not managed well.

Some things that a widower, or a widow, should remember is that it's ok to cry and to grieve the loss of the loved one. Acknowledging that fact that it will take time to feel normal again is also good for healing, advised WikiHow.com. A person must also have patience, as changes in the new life may not come as quickly or as easily as some would expect.

Once a person does have some of his bearings back, recognize that there are choices, and that a person should not worry about forgetting the deceased spouse.

Relationship management may change as looking for love the second time around can be different. This is because anyone who has been married already comes with memories of a previous relationship, according to IDoTakeTwo.com. However, even when things have changed, a person who came from a relationship has maturity and experience with them.