An article in The Conversation has delved into the pessimism that exists within heterosexual relationships.

“A friend introduces their partner as ‘my current husband’. Another jokes about marriage as a life sentence. Everyone laughs, no one is surprised,” the article reads.

“The sentiments at the heart of these asides are pervasive and familiar to many people in (or who have had) heterosexual relationships.”

One of the article’s authors, Dr Jennifer Mae Hamilton, is a senior lecturer in english literary studies at the University of New England in NSW, says the term for this negativity is “heteropessimism”, an attitude of disappointment, embarrassment or despair at the state of heterosexual relations – specifically about being in one.

“One of the features across the board is that it really stifles your creative thinking about how things could be better, it’s just like ‘well this is just my lot in life right’,” she tells Jo McManus on Millsy at Midday.

“This is the way we have to make ends meet, because our mortgage is so massive and we have to keep it all together.”

Tap PLAY to hear some tips from Dr Hamilton on how to get out of the rut of pessimism