Divorce can be rough, and leave you feeling pretty down once things are over. Due to this, it’s not uncommon to look for ways to cope with this pain. However, it’s important to avoid unhealthy coping methods. These methods will just make thing more difficult for you…
Unhealthy Coping: What To Avoid
Drinking
Heavy drinking is one of the most common unhealthy coping mechanisms. Alcohol is widely available, and can be pretty cheap as well. This makes it very easy for someone to constantly get some, in order to try and make themselves feel better. Of course, this can quickly spiral out of control.
Often times, using alcohol as a coping tool tends to lead to alcohol abuse. On top of the health issues this can cause, it will also make you feel worse than you did before. The only kind of drinking you should want to engage in is the controlled and responsible kind.
Over-eating
Food is also something people like to use as a coping mechanism. When we eat, especially things that taste good to us, it creates a feeling of pleasure. However, people usually will binge on very unhealthy foods, like fast food or sweets, to cope. As you might expect, this causes it to fall under unhealthy coping.
While eating these foods can create a short-term feeling of pleasure, it can also have long-term consequences. Most of the time, people will feel regret after eating these foods, and be extra hard on themselves. This is especially true if it leads to weight gain. It’s better to watch what you eat, and pick healthier choices, to truly feel better and give yourself more energy.
Isolation
When going through a rough time, humans have a tenancy to close themselves off to others. Sometimes, they feel like they don’t want to be a bother to everyone else. Or, they might simply feel like it’s “better” to cope by themselves. However, this practice can quickly make you feel worse than you did before.
Due to this, you don’t want to practice this unhealthy coping method. Rather, it’s a good idea to try and spend some time around friends and family. Doing so can help you see you aren’t as alone as you might feel, and turn your mood around.