Going through a divorce can summon a range of stressful emotions, from sadness to rage and everything between.
Some of these stresses diminish with the passage of time. As for the rest, powering through them may be the only option. However, some strategic efforts to embrace a new normal may help reduce the mental health impact of divorce.
Uncertain future
After years of planning a shared future, it can be challenging to chart a course for a new one without a partner. Friends may take sides, and moving in the same circles could become awkward.
Starting over is hard but can be exciting, too. Focusing on new opportunities and relationships may ease emotional stress. It may even help promote an optimistic view of the future.
New surroundings
Moving to a new place is a significant disruption under the best of circumstances, but it can become overwhelming in an already stressful situation. Even without a change of address, the process of dividing a household can upend a peaceful refuge. Rearranging the furniture or bringing in some new pieces might help. The important thing is to make it feel like home again.
Custody arrangements
Transitioning between households can cause stress for both children and their parents. A peaceful hand-off may ease tension for everyone involved, and it lets the kids know they do not have to choose sides, allowing them to be comfortable in both places without guilt.
Even small changes can mitigate some of the stress that divorce causes and make the journey easier.
