Managing Stress and Anxiety During a Divorce

March 12th, 2024

Posted By

Cropped shot of an unhappy young couple after a fight at home - stress during divorce concept

Coping with divorce stress can be a challenge — but it’s important to find ways to manage your emotions while going through the legal process of ending your marriage. There will be many emotional challenges from the time you begin the divorce process until you receive your final judgment. By finding healthy ways to deal with divorce anxiety, you can help ensure you focus on the positive as you move forward into the next chapter of your life. Here are several ways to manage stress and anxiety during divorce:

Acknowledge Your Feelings

Divorce can come with a wide array of emotions and it’s crucial to acknowledge how you are feeling. You might be feeling a mixture of anger, resentment, relief, sadness, fear, confusion, and frustration. When you end a marriage, there is a mourning period — you will have both good days and bad days. Although the emotions you are going through are painful, ignoring them will only prolong the healing process.

Spend Time with Family and Friends

Ending a marriage is emotionally difficult and you shouldn’t isolate yourself. Be sure to stay connected with loved ones while you go through the divorce process. Spending time with friends and family can help you understand that you don’t have to face it alone. Some of your friends and family may even have gone through divorce themselves and will know how to provide the support you need.

Practice Self-Care

The divorce process can take up a good deal of your time. No matter how busy you are, take at least a few minutes out each day to practice self-care. Whether it’s taking a walk, enjoying a hobby, reading a book, participating in a yoga class, or going to a spa, having some moments to yourself is crucial.

Get Enough Sleep and Eat a Healthy Diet

Although it might sound obvious, when you’re coping with divorce stress, it’s vital to get enough hours of sleep each night and eat a healthy diet. It can be all too easy to overeat or indulge when you’re dealing with the emotional rollercoaster of ending a marriage. By getting eight hours of sleep a night, cutting back on caffeine, avoiding junk food, and limiting your alcohol intake, you can raise your energy levels and provide your body with the balance it needs during this emotional time.

Take Time to Exercise

One of the best ways of coping with divorce stress is to exercise. When you work out, your body releases endorphins, which can boost your mood and help you focus. Regardless of whether you go to the gym, take walks, or do your exercise routine at home, exercise can have a positive effect — both physically and emotionally.

Find the Emotional Support You Need

Whether you find a shoulder to lean on in friends and family, or you could benefit from working with a therapist or counselor, it’s critical to get the emotional support you require while coping with divorce stress. A therapist can help you to work through the issues and many emotions that arise when ending a marriage. Therapy and counseling can also give you the tools you need to rebuild your life.

Consider Alternative Dispute Resolution

Not every divorce needs to be litigated. By using mediation or the collaborative divorce process, you can reduce the stress and anxiety that often comes with legally ending a marriage. These forms of alternative dispute resolution emphasize healthy communication, listening to each other’s perspectives, and creative problem solving. They can also help you maintain an amicable relationship with your former spouse, which can be particularly important if you will be co-parenting.

Be Present for Your Children

Coping with divorce stress isn’t only difficult for you — it’s also hard on your children. Try to maintain a positive outlook for them and be present for them. While you should leave your children out of the divorce as much as possible, encourage them to share their emotions and be sure to spend quality time with them. By participating in fun activities and engaging in healthy communication with your children, you can help to relieve their stress as well as your own.

Focus on the Future Not the Past

While you’re coping with divorce stress, it can be all too easy to dwell on what happened in the past. Keep your focus on the future — take the opportunity to explore new hobbies, travel, and nurture your well-being. Life after divorce won’t be the same as it was before, but by having reasonable expectations and making some adjustments, the transition will be easier.

Contact an Experienced Oregon Divorce Attorney

Ending a marriage is always emotionally challenging, but having a compassionate and reliable divorce attorney by your side can make coping with divorce stress much easier. Based in Salem, Litowich Law provides knowledgeable representation for a wide array of divorce and family law matters throughout Oregon. We welcome you to contact us for a consultation.

Categories: Divorce