Are you facing a divorce and wondering how to cope with the anxiety and stress? Divorce is one of the most stressful times in a person’s life. The stress can come from many different sources: the end of your relationship, the lengthy and stressful legal process, the financial impact of splitting your estate, and the emotional impact on your children.
It’s important to find ways to manage the stress of divorce, so you can get through this tough time in your life. The stress of divorce threatens your health. The American Heart Association released a study in 2021 that highlighted the dangers of stress. Individuals with high levels of stress hormones were more likely to develop heart attack or stroke over the next six to seven years.
There are a few things you can do to manage the stress of divorce:
Keep the dialogue channels open
If you’re going through a divorce, you should talk to someone who understands. It can be really helpful to talk to someone who has been through a divorce. They can offer support and understanding for the difficult time you’re going through. Just talking to an ally during the process can greatly reduce your stress levels.
You should also keep the dialog channels open with your ex. This can be difficult and contribute to stress levels in some cases, but it’s worth it. You and your ex should communicate and set definite boundaries for the divorce. This isn’t always possible, but when you clearly communicate your emotional needs, your ex might comply.
Prioritise your own health
Don’t let your health take a backseat during the divorce process. Take care of yourself. During times of a stressful divorce, you might be compelled to push your mental health needs to the side, but that will only hurt you and possibly your loved ones. So, be sure to eat healthy, exercise, and get enough sleep to avoid elevated stress levels.
If you allow your health to deteriorate, then you’re less likely to make good decisions. If this seems too difficult, then use the tools at your disposal. Track your health with wearable gadgets or by simply writing down what you’re eating and how much you’re sleeping.
Find a ray of hope
Stay positive. It’s easy to focus on the negative aspects of divorce when times get tough, but try to stay positive about your future. A sense of desperation and hopelessness is a clear sign of elevated stress levels. Remember that this is just a temporary phase in your life and it will eventually pass.
It can be helpful to use a journal to record your personal victories no matter how small they may seem. You might also find it helpful to set up activities that compel you to look forward to new beginnings. For example, you can take up a new skill or take a class. Just learning something new can give you hope for the future and reduce your stress levels.
Talk to a professional
Elevated stress levels during divorce are quite common. Yet, that doesn’t mean that you need to hang tough to make it through this difficult and stressful time. If you’re finding it difficult to manage the stress of divorce, it’s important to seek professional help. Seek professional help from a divorce counselor.
A therapist can help you work through your emotions and get through this tough time. Speaking to a therapist or counsellor doesn’t mean that something is wrong with you. It simply means that you’re brave and clever enough to take the right steps toward supporting your mental health.
Summing it up
While the overall divorce rate has decreased in recent years, in 2020 there were 3 out of every 1000 Americans experienced a divorce. In some states the rate is even higher. In Florida, there were 3.5 divorces for every 1000 people. You or someone you know will likely deal with the end of marriage at some point, so it is important to understand how to navigate this difficult time.
Divorce is a highly stressful experience for both parties involved, often resulting in a range of emotions from anger and guilt to sadness and outright depression. The process of separating from someone you once loved and built a life with can be taxing on all levels of physical and mental health.
So, fortify yourself through the process by prioritising your needs. You can reduce stress levels by communicating with the people involved, taking care of your physical health, and cultivating a sense of optimism about the future. This is a difficult time, but the stress of a divorce can be managed with a few techniques.
Tim Williamson, a psychology graduate from the University of Hertfordshire, has a keen interest in the fields of mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.
