A divorce is a major life-changing event and can affect everything, from finances and lifestyle to your physical and mental health. While we usually think of divorce as a negative thing, the opposite can be true and, in this article, we’re looking at ways in which divorce can play a positive and negative part in your health.
In the UK, divorce solicitor services involve much more than filing documents and dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. Divorce law professionals are only too aware of the ways in which the end of a marriage can impact our lives and our health – for better as well as for worse.
In this article, we’re looking at how divorce can play a positive and negative part in your health.
How Divorce Can Positively Impact Our Health
Going through a divorce can be stressful and painful, but it can also be liberating. In this section, we’re looking at ways in which a divorce can have a positive impact on your health:
The removal of abuse
If your marriage has been abusive – physically or mentally – it can have a devastating impact on your health. From physical injury to mental strain, remaining in an abusive relationship can be dangerous and damaging and can lead to long term problems. Divorcing an abusive partner means the end of physical abuse, which allows your body to heal just as ending mental abuse gives you peace of mind.
Mental anguish
Day to day life in an unhappy marriage can be extremely stressful and this can lead to mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. Similarly, worrying about any children within an unhappy marriage can have a negative impact on their mental health which, in turn, can add to your stress. By removing yourself from the marriage, you can also remove these harmful conditions for yourself and your children – although this may take support such as therapy.
How Divorce Can Negatively Impact Our Health
While we’ve talked about some of the ways in which divorce can actually improve your health, there’s no denying that this is not always the case. In this section, we’re going to be talking about the ways in which a divorce can be harmful to your health.
Financial worry
After a divorce, many people find themselves in very changed circumstances in terms of finances and lifestyle, leading to money worries and a major life adjustment. This can be extremely stressful – particularly for those who are unaccustomed to having to live on a tight budget.
Loneliness
When a marriage ends – particularly a long term one – it can lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation. It’s a sad fact that many couples ‘share’ friends, and that sometimes, for one spouse, those friends can disappear following a separation or divorce.
Real and relentless stress
If a divorce is particularly acrimonious or is drawn out over a long period of time, this can corrode your health and wellbeing to a significant extent. Living with elevated stress levels for a long period of time can be extremely harmful to both your physical and mental health.
How to protect your health during a divorce
During a divorce, you’ll have a lot to think about, but that doesn’t mean that you should neglect your health and wellbeing. In this section, we’re sharing a few tips for protecting your health during your divorce:
- The support network: during your divorce, the support of your family and friends is vital, so don’t be afraid to call on help, even if you feel that they may be sick of hearing about it.
- Take time out: a divorce can be all consuming, so it’s important to carve out a little time for yourself each day. Indulging in a hobby or even spending half an hour with a good book can help to free your mind from the situation for a little while.
- Self-care: when we’re stressed or unhappy, it can often affect our diet, exercise and sleep patterns. Even when you don’t feel like it, try to eat healthily and get a reasonable amount of sleep.
- Seek help: different people cope with divorce differently. If you find that you’re struggling to cope, don’t be scared to seek professional help. Your GP or local council will be able to recommend a good counsellor in your local area who will be able to help you to untangle the sometimes complex emotions which accompany a separation or divorce.
A healthy new start
Even the most amicable of divorces can bring with it an amount of stress and unpleasantness. Your first port of call should be to secure the services of a good family law solicitor. This will help take the strain of some of the legal aspects of your divorce from your shoulders, and therefore minimise stress.
As we’ve mentioned in this article, there are times when a divorce will actually have a positive impact on your health long term. However, even in this instance, there is likely to be an amount of physical and mental upheaval which may be unsettling for a while.
Whether a divorce is welcome or dreaded, it’s extremely important to take care of your health during and after the process. If you find that your health is suffering during your divorce, speak to your GP who will be able to recommend a course of action, whether that’s counselling, alternate therapy, or medication to help you through this difficult time.
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