Did you know that almost half of all marriages end in divorce?
Divorce is common, but that doesn’t make it any easier to go through. If you’re going through one, you know how difficult coping with divorce can be.
Knowing how to cope can be as hard as dealing with the divorce itself. And without coping well, the situation could become even worse for you.
If you’re looking for coping tips, look no further. This article will tell you some of the best ways to get through this difficult time.
Keep reading to learn more.
Table of Contents
1. Make Time for Fun
Saying you should have fun while going through a divorce might sound funny at first, but it is one of the more important parts of coping. You cannot neglect this crucial part.
Of course, going to work and dealing with a divorce is time-consuming enough. Plus, if you have children in the mix, it can seem like you never have a chance to breathe.
But you have to make time to breathe and have fun. Otherwise, you’ll only feel the difficulties of life and may even forget the happy times you’ve had. It may start to seem that only the bad is there.
Having fun doesn’t have to take up too much of your time. It may be something as simple as meeting with friends for dinner or catching up with an old friend for coffee.
If you’re feeling less social, consider watching an episode of your favorite television show or going for a jog. Before you know it, you’ll have a more positive outlook on life.
2. Communicate Less with Your Ex
Something that may stress you out when you’re going through a divorce is speaking to your ex-spouse. If so, consider finding ways to talk less to them.
Speaking less will keep you away from potential arguments they could later use in court. It also saves you from having to be in an uncomfortable situation.
Instead of calling or meeting face-to-face, consider speaking through text or email alone. This way, you can stay focused on the topic at hand and not have to hear the other person’s voice.
Of course, if you have to meet in person, don’t avoid doing so. This could look bad to a judge or cause undue frustration.
If it gets too rough, consider asking your lawyer to work as your liaison for the two of you. This is not uncommon, and your family lawyer should be able to do it with ease.
3. Keep Exercising
When people get divorced, they often stop taking care of themselves mentally. But along with that, they also stop caring for themselves physically.
Don’t let this happen to you. Even when you’re in the middle of a divorce, you should be taking time to go exercise. You don’t want to regret the physical toll of a divorce.
If you haven’t exercised before, you should consider starting. Not only is it good for your body, but research shows that exercise can help with anxiety, depression, and stress.
Also, exercising gives you something stable to look forward to doing. When everything feels like it’s falling apart, you can still count on going to the gym or running a few times a week.
4. Join a Support Group
It may not sound like the most fun option, but joining a support group may help you cope better. As mentioned before, a large majority of marriages end in divorce, and many of those people are looking for others that understand.
In a support group, you’ll discuss what you’re going through with people who won’t judge you. Many of them may even have tips for you as well.
Usually, you will not have to pay to attend a support group, but you can in some instances if you want a licensed therapist there. Some may even be informal meetings you can find online.
If group therapy doesn’t appeal to you, you may want to consider seeing a therapist instead. They will be able to give you the personal attention you need for coping.
Whether you choose group therapy or one-on-one counseling doesn’t matter. Just make sure to do something for your mental health.
5. Rest Well
Divorces are not friends with the Sandman.
During your divorce, there’s no doubt that you’ve had some restless nights. Maybe you haven’t had a good night’s sleep in weeks.
Don’t let this happen anymore. As soon as you can, allow yourself to sleep for 8 hours or more.
Sleeping will help you feel more energized and positive as you go throughout the day. And during a divorce, you need all the help you can with this.
6. Find a Good Lawyer
When you think about a lawyer, chances are you don’t think about coping with pain. But when it comes to divorce, you should.
A good lawyer can make all the difference for the way that you handle your divorce. They can take plenty of the stress off your shoulders off you if the divorce gets messy.
Plus, a good lawyer may secure your ability to see your children. Imagine how much less stress you’ll have if you don’t have to worry about custody.
Finding a good lawyer might be hard at first. You shouldn’t pick the first one you find in a phone book of course!
Keep in mind that you can’t trust all negative reviews. Consider reaching out to people who leave bad reviews to see what they can tell you the lawyer did in detail.
Make sure to visit the lawyer’s website. A good site like Verhaeghe Law Office should show you that you can trust the lawyers there.
7. Get A Therapist
Sometimes its important to get some outside perspective, especially when kids are involved. If you are going through a divorce and are also raising little ones, then itβs important to have a good co-parenting strategy in place. Sam Miller, who provides therapy for teens, suggests that you keep an open dialogue with your kids about their feelings and needs and make sure that they are part of the divorce process so that there is not too much resentment towards either side created. Having some form of talk therapy can be very beneficial so that people can express themselves in a safe way without being traumatized.
Need More Articles About Coping with Divorce?
There’s no doubt that divorce is a difficult situation for anyone. Even if the divorce is a mutual choice, it can still hurt.
Hopefully, this article has given you some effective tips for coping with divorce. Take our advice, and soon, you’ll be on your way to coping better.
Are you looking for more ways to take care of your health? Check out our health and fitness section for more.