8 Strategies For Psychological Coping With A Divorce
Divorce is in most cases an emotionally painful process for both parties, whether it is consensual or requested by only one of the two people who make up the couple.
However, we do not have to resign ourselves to going through this experience passively and assuming that we cannot do anything about it; There are many things we can do to avoid suffering unnecessarily. Therefore, in this article we will see some Strategies for psychological coping with divorce and that you can adapt to your case if you find yourself in this situation.
The level of impact that a divorce can cause will also depend on certain circumstances that occur in people’s lives, such as whether or not they have children in common or the economic situation of each member of the couple. That’s why, The best way to deal with this type of crisis experience is to go to a psychologist. In any case, these general tips can help you.
1. Go through grief
Divorce is an experience that can radically change the lives of the people who experience it, and as happens in any life stage that closes, it is necessary to go through a period of mourning.
Grief is a process that, if well managed, helps us say goodbye to people who are leaving our lives as well as the life we ​​leave behind, something that we must complete to move forward.
The grieving process consists of accepting the situation experienced and expressing our feelings at all times, crying if necessary.
2. Take time for yourself
Taking time for ourselves is essential to successfully face a divorce case in our lives. This means that we must dedicate the necessary time to reflect with ourselves about what happened. calmly and without any rush.
Both in cases of divorce and in any other situation that changes the life of those who experience it, it is necessary to take time to process what happened and reflect as much as necessary before moving on with life.
3. Avoid making important decisions during the process
Along those same lines, it is also important not to make momentous decisions while we are in the middle of the divorce process, since any decision made in times of crisis can be hasty.
Instead, it is important to adopt a reflective and calm attitude that allows us to assimilate everything we are experiencing trying not to make, for the moment, very important decisions that we may regret in the future.
4. Forgive yourself and your partner
Divorce cases can be motivated by many past problems that need to be left behind. In addition to that, it is vitally important that we lose both ourselves and our partner, since we are experiencing a moment that can be painful for both parties.
Apologizing to our ex-partner for any possible mistakes made will be the first step to starting an amicable divorce process. based on cordiality and a constructive mentality, focused on the future.
5. Have children as a priority
In cases where the couple has children together, the divorce can be even more complex than it usually is, and this is when it is necessary to prevent the children from suffering by protecting them at all costs.
Currently, more than half of the divorces in our country occur with children involved and in these cases the most advisable thing is to maintain cordiality between the parents so that the children do not suffer and try to ensure that they live the process in the right way. as normal and pleasant as possible.
Here, collaboration between the parents and their willingness to get along and maintain respect between them is essential throughout the duration of the process. Of course, We must avoid at all costs forcing children to “take someone’s side”.
6. Take care of yourself
In addition to caring for children and close family members who may be suffering, it is also vitally important to take care of yourself.
A divorce process It can be truly exhausting on a physical, emotional and psychological level due to the whirlwind of emotions and feelings that emerge during this period in which everything is new for both members of the couple.
Maintaining the most basic personal care such as eating well, exercising and maintaining optimal personal hygiene is essential to maintain composure.
In addition to that, we must try, for the sake of our health, not to lock ourselves up at home all day and try to go out often to meet people and adapt as soon as possible and with total normality to our new life.
7. Seek external support
Seeking support from close friends and family is essential to successfully overcome divorce processes on a psychological level.
It is in these crucial moments when we need the support of our loved ones more than ever, which comforts us and will make us go through the difficult situation we are going through better. One has to let go of the idea that asking for help is a sign of weakness especially in the face of vital crises of this magnitude.
8. Look to the future
After a painful process such as a divorce, it is necessary to get up as soon as possible and look forward to the future with optimism at all times.
To achieve this we can start by setting short and long-term goals as soon as possible, which will make us regain the motivation and optimism necessary to move forward with our lives.
