Staying sane during a divorce requires the person going through the process to pay careful attention to his or her mental and physical health, and then enrich their lives in positive, non-destructive ways. Taking on so much responsibility for oneself during such a trying time may feel like an insurmountable task, but there are tried and true methods that people struggling through a divorce should learn.
Maintaining Physical Health
The mind is an extension of the body. The foods people eat, the exercises they enjoy, the narcotics of which they partake; so much of what we put into our bodies has an influence on how the brain processes emotions. During a divorce, people are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, insomnia, and other mental disorders. It is critical to a person’s mental wellbeing that he or she takes care of himself or herself. Healthy living with stable sleep schedules, regular exercise, and nutritious foods can improve a person’s mental wellbeing.
Finding Opportunities to Laugh
It may seem condescending to suggest that people “find the humor in things” when they are going through a divorce. But people struggling with life-altering situations like divorces run the risk of closing themselves off from what used to bring them joy. Light, comedic entertainment, or time spent with people that create happiness, can make a world of difference.
Being Around Positive People
One of the best ways a person can keep sane during their divorce is to spend time with positive, encouraging people. When someone separates from a person they loved, he or she may feel like there is less good in the world. Emotions like these could begin a downward spiral toward severe depression. Warding off negative emotions is not an easy task. Surrounding oneself self with friends, loved ones, or whoever brings them positivity can help bring them out of the rut that so often comes with a divorce.
Avoiding Rushing Into a Relationship
When someone leaves a relationship as serious as marriage, he or she can sometimes feel like he or she has to find that same connection with another person as soon as possible. People going through a divorce should resist this urge. It is rarely a good idea to jump into a new relationship during a divorce when emotions can cloud judgment.
A person going through a divorce should instead try to enjoy his or her time being single. He or she should try to rediscover himself or herself without another person, focusing his or her energy on hobbies that maybe were thrown to the wayside during the marriage. He or she might rediscover an old hobby or pick up a new one.
Daily Journaling
Journaling gives people a chance to process their emotions. Attaching words to feelings often makes it easier for divorcees to uncover the fuller spectrum of emotion, to see exactly why someone might feel depressed, or angry, or hurt. Seeing emotional pain down on paper can be the first step in learning how to overcome one’s feelings.