Family and Tension

By Carol Cavanaugh

One of the most stressful life events you may experience, is divorce. If divorced, all questions can highlight your anxiety of your life and create a hostile relationship with ex-partner. Divorce creates more stress than going to jail or getting fired from your job is shown by studies. You are also far more likely to be depressed, get into accidents, experience anxiety, and be more vulnerable to mental illness. In addition to the monetary cost, divorcing people usually experience loneliness and terrible mental pain. What are some ways to make the stress of divorce more manageable? There are a few coping techniques that have provided people with help taking care of themselves during this painful time period.

Joining a support group can be a big help in reducing stress. Being with people who are in the same life stage can help stunt the loneliness of divorce. Besides that, support groups can provide you with a probability to interact with people and make friendship with those who are singles or not a friend of your ex-partner. You would get a circle of friends giving you practical legal advice regarding lawyers, child support besides other useful knowledge related to the field. A supporting group could keep you from socially withdrawing, enabling you a safe space to laugh, weep, and talk about your feelings.

You need to put aside time to spend on yourself. This advice is hard to follow, but giving you time to heal, time to find a new balance is essential to reduce the stress of divorce. Instead of dwelling on your divorce, you can plan for a better future using these little breaks. Keep in mind that you don't need to aim for perfection. It is not the right time to be concerned with appearances or with what others think of you or your home. Don't be too hard on yourself - if you need to, ask for assistance.

Now is the time to take back your environment. Do you still have photos of yourself and your ex-partner? Throw it out. Is something too painful to look at or use? You can choose to donate it. Just looking at these painful reminders will increase your stress. Keep your items like wedding china or wedding rings in a safe container and put the same under lock, if you don't want to sell or give away those items. Don't decide on what to do with sentimental keepsakes until at least 12 months after the divorce. Change your surroundings even little things like purchasing new curtains or relocating your furniture will decrease stress and make your mood better.

You need to ensure that you get enough sleep. Right now, sleep may be difficult, but you function much better when well rested. If you are having difficulty sleeping, keep your bedroom dark, buy a new pillow, or take a hot bath before bed to relax. Eating a well balanced diet is also important. Always have good foods at hand and take in sufficient water. Maintaining your good health habit will not only reduce stress, but it will help you fight the temptation to develop bad ones. Taking good care of yourself by having adequate sleep and practicing wise eating habits can take you out of the Divorce Trauma and make you feel less stressful.

It is important to find the time to exercise. Exercising can improve your mood, provide energy and help eliminate some of the stress hormones inside the body. A walk outdoors or any aerobic exercise can help you burn off calories and feel more refreshed. Yoga, and deep breathing, are great ways to lower stress - all it takes is 5 deep breaths and you'll feel the difference. Taking a new exercise class can shake up your routine and help you meet new people.

Don't be afraid to pamper yourself. With all the time we devote to the care of other people, we need to focus on our own needs. You need to indulge by going to nice restaurants, taking a long vacation or starting new hobbies. If you remember to take care of yourself first, you will have more energy to navigate the divorce proceedings and aftermath much more easily. - 30309

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