Maintaining Your And Your Children’s Mental Health During A Divorce
The period of time when a person is undergoing a divorce can be one of the most stressful times in an individual's life. The toll that it can take on an entire family's mental health can be immense especially during a very contentious divorce. Mental health is hard to gauge due to there not being very many outward clues as many people that are depressed seem very upbeat to hide their mental anguish. Keeping your mental health in check is also important as your children will see if you are very run down leading them to feel things children shouldn't have to deal with. Below are tips to help maintain good mental health for your children as well as yourself during a divorce.
Do Not Fight In Front Of The Children
This might seem impossible when going through a divorce but it is important not to fight in front of the children. This could lead them to think that the divorce is their fault and blaming yourself for this as a child can lead for far worse problems throughout life. Relationship issues can be prevalent with many children of divorce feeling abandoned by a parent which is usually the one that is not given full custody. If you are having a disagreement that is going to escalate, talk about it later. This usually gives time for a cool off period which will make for a far better discussion than screaming at each other.
Leave If There Is Any Physical Abuse At All
There is no excuse for physical abuse in any way whether it is towards the children or yourself. Leaving should not be difficult if you believe the safety of you or your children is at risk by being around your soon to be ex. Calling the police is an option and proof of abuse can be a huge help in gaining custody of the children. Getting a family law consultation as soon as possible in abusive situations can be a great way to get out of this danger scenario quickly. Mental as abuse should not be tolerated either but this can be hard to detect as many people manipulate in ways their partner might not realize.
Find A Good Outlet For Stress For You
Stress can tend to build up leading to you lashing out or losing your temper which is never healthy. Take the time to go to the gym daily or spend time doing something you really enjoy to help you unwind for the day. The last thing you want to do is to cope with the stress in an unhealthy manner. Turning to drugs and alcohol is only going to delay your grieving period and could cause you to lose custody or visitation with your children if an addiction continues to worsen. Take a look into meditating as this can be the perfect way to clear your mind. Some people going through divorce dive into work as it is an outlet where they do not think about their home life.
Send Them To Speak With A Professional Even If They Seem To Be Adjusting Well
You as well as your children should see a therapist even if it seems like everyone involved is adjusting well. Hiding feelings is common in children of divorce and you might find that you might need to repair after years of an unhappy marriage. There are plenty of professionals that specialize in things like these and also talk to the guidance counselor as well.
Divorce is going to be a tough period of life for your children and it can take years to recover. Treat this sensitive time carefully as you want everyone to be mentally healthy once the divorce is complete.
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