Divorce is a very familiar part of modern life, but this unfortunate reality doesn’t make it any less upsetting when it happens to you. No one gets married and expects their relationship to end in divorce and the breakdown of a relationship can be tough on all parties involved. Divorce can, for some time, greatly affect your mental health.
For some people, their divorce may have been gradually gaining momentum for a long time. Perhaps a lack of common ground, disinterest, and boredom combined with increasing disrespect meant that the couple simply shared the same roof, but little else. Then there are those who may have felt their relationship was good until the divorce petition hit them like a bolt of lightning; Shocking, devastating and totally unexpected.
Yes, living together requires hard work, compromise, and opening channels of communication to discuss annoyances and disagreements, and hopefully then come to a better understanding. If it doesn’t happen, perhaps for many good reasons like work, kids, or just being stressed or too tired, it can be all too easy to slip into having an autopilot, going through routine daily activities, crashing into bed at night and then doing it all over again the next day. Sound familiar?
But living this way brings with it its own stressors, which can ultimately affect our relationship and our mental health. If we feel increasingly invisible, less important than everyone else, stressed, and have little time, money, or energy to do what we want or are willing to do, we can present a lousy, unattractive, and boring mindset, in which we almost retreat from engaging fully. In life. We might not even recognize ourselves in our early wedding photos: What happened to that person?
How many of us begin our marriage with the mantra, begin as you mean to last? But, as the honeymoon phase wears off, it is often replaced by everyday reality, where the pains of relationship growth are often experienced; There may be a little doubt, uncertainty and criticism. The weary “why not?” , “I hope you don’t,” an eyebrow raised or a sigh may be signs that our partner has become somewhat irritated by our habits or antics.
We may be able to handle and talk about our tensions, but for some people receiving criticism or rejection from someone they love can be the ultimate rejection, as they feel obligated to do more, improve, improve, and do more. And if that doesn’t have the desired effect, where do they go from there? It is often a huge blow to their confidence and self-esteem as they see themselves heading for a divorce!
People who are in an unloving or non-consensual, highly significant relationship for a long time may experience significant erosion in their mental state; Depression, bad mood, insomnia, poor self-confidence, and low self-belief are not uncommon as a result.
Let’s take a look at ways to support your mental health after divorce;
Share what you feel With a trusted friend or confidante. It’s good to have an ally who is there to offer support and reassurance. Or your GP or spiritual guide may be a valuable source of help. Likewise, booking time with a therapist can be a positive way to release some of the negativity that has built up during the deterioration of your relationship and subsequent divorce.
Accept that your ex now feels differently About you and the relationship, an opinion that has been formed over time, and includes many different experiences. Their opinion of you is simply their point of view. Do not identify yourself. You both changed and grew apart over time, which led to your divorce.
It is often necessary to make quick decisions After a divorce, particularly with regard to living arrangements, education, and earning money. Try to avoid big, hasty decisions that could have long-term effects and instead maybe share the house with a friend, with the goal of keeping things as familiar as possible at first. Allow some time to grieve, heal, and think about what you’d like to do next, perhaps starting a part-time job.
Formulate ideas and plans For a positive future, no matter how far-fetched that may feel. Yes, money may be tight, and the kids may need your undivided attention, but try to set in time windows for yourself, even if it’s going for a walk, reading a book, calling a friend for a chat, enrolling in an online course, or Even dipping your toe in the water with a dating site.
– Be proactive. You may have lost your old circle of friends for a variety of reasons, so start building a new group that is more appropriate to your current set of circumstances. Other parents, neighbors, co-workers, and even online forums and social media may offer support, companionship, and help improve your mood. Finding out that you are not alone, and that others have had similar feelings and experiences from which they have recovered, can provide invaluable comfort and reassurance.
As you move into this next phase of your life, agree to be gentle with yourself, but also be accepting of new ideas, things you may not have considered before. Open your mind to the possibilities of your new life after divorce. You are not just moving forward, you are starting again!