A divorce can overturn your world very quickly. Many people suffer from depression, anxiety or a mental breakdown shortly after going through a divorce. This could be due to the financial, emotional, and mental strain a divorce can cause. The stress from coping with the end of your marriage can make it harder to carry out simple daily activities.
Going to work, managing your home, and caring for your children begin to seem like impossible tasks. Don’t let it get this far!
Now is the time to seek help before you have a mental breakdown.
Signs you have a Mental Breakdown
- Extreme mood swings often accompanied by unexplained anger and outbursts.
- Cutting off social activities, and living in isolation.
- Poor eating and sleeping habits.
- Extreme cases of anxiety, stomach upset, and clammy hands.
- Prolong feeling of sadness and helplessness.
How to Overcome a Mental Breakdown After a Divorce
The tips below will help make life after your divorce endurable and eventually help you move on to new beginnings.
Talk to a Mental Health Professional
Seeing a mental health professional will do some good. Talking about your hurt, anger, or any emotions you’re struggling with will be the beginning of your healing process.
A mental health professional will guide you through this challenging time, and help you handle your feelings from a clear perspective.
Spend Quality Time Alone
This doesn’t mean you should isolate yourself or avoid social interactions. However, spending some time alone will help you process your emotions better. Remember to show love and care for yourself first otherwise, there won’t be much of you left for your family and friends to love.
Focus on activities you enjoy and do them as often as your time permits. The period after a divorce is always a good time for some reflection. You may realize some of the mistakes you made that contributed to the failure of your marriage and avoid them in subsequent relationships.
Take this opportunity to develop your character and become a better person than you were before your divorce. After all, there’s always room for growth.
Make Lifestyle Changes
If you have not been physically active, now will be an excellent time to start. Exercising is always a great way to reduce stress and get some mental clarity.
Practice better eating and sleeping habits as this will also help eliminate stress from your life. Relaxation techniques like meditation and journaling can be helpful. These have been proven to reduce panic attacks and mental breakdown.
Join a Support Group
Talking to others who are going through similar situations can help reduce your stress levels. Here, you will be able to talk about your feelings without holding back like you would with your family or friends.
Going through an onslaught of emotions after a divorce is normal. However, it’s best to live each day as it comes and avoid being anxious about the future.
Find Time to Socialize
Go out and have fun. The world has not ended yet! Spend time with family and friends- surround yourself with love and people who still love you.
Of course, this may not stop the pain you feel, but it will surely help you feel better. Create happy memories and have a positive outlook on life to ward of feelings of hopelessness and sadness.
Finally, explore new adventures and embrace life. In time, life will get back to normal, albeit a different normal from your life with your ex. These are some of the ways to overcome a mental breakdown after a divorce.
Reach out for help if you feel you are drowning in your sorrows. A mental health professional is just a call away. Remember, your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Here are simple ways to fight anxiety without medication.
Source: SupportforStepdads.com
Featured Image by Eric Ward on Unsplash
Rae has a bachelor’s degree in English and Literary Studies and enjoys writing family oriented-topics. When she’s not writing or working as an editor for Support for Stepdads, she loves spending time with her two sons and reading a wide range of subjects.
