When I first read the headline for this Time Magazine article, I believed it was saying that those who get married before the age of 18 are probably have some preexisting mental issues, and I was taken aback. I knew that young married couples were probably misinformed and likely very naive, but psychologically unstable? YEESH.

Turns out the headline actually meant the reverse of that. Time Magazine’s report on a study Dr. Yann Le Strat implies that girls who marry before the age of 18 have a “41% increased risk of… depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and alcohol and drug addiction.”

Seems to make quite the case for casual dating until your later years, I’d say. Although Dr. Le Strat did not make any assumptions why this psychological issues might arise, it’s safe to say that it may be due to the stress marriage puts on a couple, the high levels of responsibility to maintain a marriage (especially before you are even legally allowed to drink alcohol or rent a car!), and the very real possibility that infidelity will occur when you marry the first person you sleep with.

Of course, this study was the first of its kind and it will surely take much more research to find out if there is just a correlation or if there is actual causation, but for no we’d suggest not to risk it. Enjoy the single life into your twenties, and only settle down when you are mentally prepared for fidelity.

Reason #22,701 not to get married (too early): you might actually lose your mind.