The shocking reasons one gender always regrets divorce more: TRACEY COX talks to men and women to find out how they felt after leaving their marriage - and the answer isn't as obvious as you think

Around a third of divorced couples in the UK regret their decision to end their marriage. Whether you will depends very much on your personal circumstances: your attractiveness, friendship groups, social skills and finances. If you divorce because your partner was perpetually unfaithful, physically or emotionally abusive or had an addiction problem, you're more likely to feel relief not regret.

But research and studies all indicate that there's one gender that suffers more when a marriage breaks down - and it's not women. Due to the perception that women are more romantic, most assume they regret divorce the most - but the reality is quite the opposite.

Let me start by making it clear that the scales aren't all tipped in favour of women. Don't ask me why, but there still seems to be a man shortage. The proportion of great single women and equally attractive single men remains disproportionately skewed in men's favour.

Plenty of men divorce and find themselves inundated with women eager to date them – but not all. The attractive, confident and socially skilled might have no regrets after leaving a marriage but the less gifted and blessed might well do. Here are some reasons why men might regret their divorce:.

Around one third of divorced couples in the UK regret their decision to end their marriage -  whether you will depends very much on your personal circumstances: your attractiveness, friendship groups, social skills and finances, says Tracey Cox. 'I had an affair with a woman at work. I worked late, so did she and she made it very, very clear that she was up for it.

'It meant nothing but became a habit and lasted six months. 'Another woman at work was suspicious and had met my wife. 'I'm pretty sure it was her who sent my wife an anonymous message to her socials. 'She confronted me and I was so unprepared, it was obvious something had been going on.

'It sounds ridiculous, but I never expected she would ever find out. 'I was prepared to do anything to keep her and the kids, but she said she would never forgive me and she hasn't. 'I lost everything without ever really realising what I was putting at risk.'.

Lots of happily married men cheat. Women tend to be unfaithful when they are deeply unhappy but a lot of men are opportunistic cheaters. They do it purely because sex was on offer and they thought they'd get away with it. They don't think about what they might lose, instead they're completely in the moment, often drunk or high, and responding to a base, primal urge for novelty and danger.

When the wife finds out and they lose her, the kids, their lifestyle and often the house, they're both shocked and devastated. I'm not saying women don't cheat: we do. Just not as much as men and we're more likely to do it when unhappy. Being caught under those circumstances can be a relief: your decision is made for you. You can leave.

If women find themselves surrounded by a sea of friends after a marriage breakdown, all eager to help and console her, men often find themselves totally alone. 'I made the money, my wife made the children. That's the joke we used to have. It seemed like a good deal at the time.

'When we divorced after years of arguing, it didn't seem as fair. 'She got the house I'd worked my butt off paying for and I ended up in a horrible, soulless flat around the corner. That's all I could afford with the hefty child support I pay.'. Like most things, individual circumstances – who earns more money and whose name is on the house deeds – prevail.

But the parent who is the primary carer of the children tends to retain the family home – and that's nearly always the woman. Decision makers – rightfully – prioritise maintaining stability for the kids by keeping them in familiar surroundings. Even if the wife isn't awarded the home in the settlement, men often sign it over, if they instigated the divorce, out of guilt.

Trouble is, being free and single can seem a lot less attractive when you're sitting in a bedsit, knowing the wife and kids are at that moment preparing meals in a lovely kitchen and ready to relax on a comfy sofa afterward. 'Our house was always full of people: my wife was extremely social and we had lots of friends. When the marriage broke down – she said I'd become bitter and impossible to live with – I expected at least some of our friends to side with me.

'But only three guys out of our whole group rang me to ask if I was OK and when I said I wasn't, they didn't know what to say. 'I went out for a pint once or twice but it was awkward. I wanted to know whether they thought I could get my wife back, their wives had obviously told them not to tell me anything.

'They had all started out as her friends, but it was shocking how none of them cared about me. Maybe she's right and I'm not great company.'. If women find themselves surrounded by a sea of friends after a marriage breakdown, all eager to help and console her, men often find themselves totally alone.