Divorce is not always a smooth process. In fact, it can bring about many different types of feelings, and not all of them will be pretty. These divorce emotions can really get in the way of your plans and health during this time. As it turns out, knowing what to expect can help you get a handle on them…
Divorce Emotions: What To Expect
Denial
Denial is one of the first divorce emotions people experience. This is especially true if their spouse has asked for a divorce, and they haven’t. Many people struggle to accept that their divorce is a “real” thing. Many times, they think there’s some way they can stop things and return to “normal”.
Ultimately, while it’s true that some marriages stop their divorces and work things out, that’s still a pretty small subset of couples. More often than not, the divorce will happen. However, it’s important for people in denial to understand that yes, it’s happening, but it’s not the end of the world. Thinking about it logically can help them see that this might be the best choice for both them and their spouse.
Anger
Anger is one of the divorce emotions that can be felt by both parties. As the divorce starts to get going, tension and disagreements can start to flair up. Eventually, this anger turns into resentment, and each spouse will end up fighting the other one at each turn, leading to a messy divorce.
Most of the time, however, splitting couples misplace this anger. Often times, they’re more angry at themselves or the situation they’re in rather than at their ex in specific. It’s better to find healthy outlets for this anger, and instead understand it’s best to cooperate with your ex rather than fight them.
Depression
Out of all the divorce emotions, depression is the one people tend to experience for the longest. This depression tends to come about after couples accept that their divorce is happening, and lasts well after it’s over. Often times, it’s marked by people feeling like they have “failed” in life because their marriage has ended.
Of course, this isn’t the true. Just because your marriage has ended, doesn’t mean your life is somehow over. Instead, you have a whole lot of opportunity now to really start living like you want.