7 Coping Skills That’ll Help You Navigate Divorce Stress

Are you going through a divorce? An estimated 2.7 people per 1000 get divorced in the United States. So, firstly — you are not alone. 

That statistic probably doesn’t help you to deal with your divorce stress, though. Going through a separation is taxing and overwhelming, mainly because there is so much to figure out and get done. 

The best thing for you to do is stay calm and make rational decisions that are good for your future. But how do you do this when you’re dealing with divorce trauma?

Keep reading or visit Alabama Family Law Group for tips to help you navigate your divorce and come out on the other side stronger than before. 

1. Reach Out for Support

The first step in learning how to cope with a divorce is to seek support. This can be emotional, mental, and legal.

You shouldn’t hesitate to seek out your friends and family and lean on them in these difficult times. You may be dealing with feelings of shame and failure, but the people who love you don’t think that. Spending time with those who care about you can be deeply healing.

You can talk about your concerns, your worries, your anxiety, and your hopes for the future. If you find that difficult to do, then consider seeking professional support in the form of a psychologist or therapist. A mental health expert can equip you with the stress management skills you need to get through. 

Lastly, seek the legal counsel of a divorce lawyer. You may think that you don’t need a lawyer, but regardless of how amicable the separation is, you will need the expert advice of an attorney to help you navigate the red tape of a divorce to ensure that you don’t land up in an undesirable position. 

2. Use Exercise for Anxiety Relief

You may already exercise regularly. If this is so, turn to exercise to release the build-up of anxiety and stress. Even when you find it difficult to find the motivation to exercise due to anxiety and depression, push yourself to get out there and do it. 

If you don’t exercise regularly, now is the time to start. It’s an excellent way to stabilize your emotions and improve your self-confidence. 

If you find it difficult to get into exercising, then join gym classes, a running group, or a yoga workshop. Anything that gets you out of the house, out of your head, and moving. 

3. Cultivate New Interests

Chances are that you have a lot of time on your hands since your marriage ended. Or at least, it certainly feels like that. All the more time to wallow in post-divorce trauma, right?

Wrong. Now is the time to cultivate new interests, put yourself out there, and find new hobbies and interests. Is there something that you’ve always wanted to do but never got around to? Maybe you started learning something years ago and dropped it for daily responsibilities. 

You owe it to yourself to seek out new interests. It’s a great way to cope with divorce stress as it keeps you busy, relieves tension, and helps to improve confidence. 

4. Don’t Make Hasty Decisions

The last thing you want to do is make the situation worse for yourself. So, the last thing you should be doing is making any big decisions during this stressful time. 

It’s difficult to make rational decisions at a time when you’re driven almost entirely by strong emotions. Take the time to think about the consequences of your decisions.

Fall back on your emotional, professional, and legal support system to seek out advice about decisions you’re making. 

5. Stay Off Social Media

Social media becomes a toxic place when you’re going through a separation and suffering from divorce stress syndrome. 

Comparison is the death of joy and it’s going to make you feel terrible to scroll through all of the happy couples and apparently successful marriages. So give yourself a little social media cleanse until you feel ready to face the entire world. 

Most importantly, you don’t want to fall into the trap of airing your dirty laundry on social media when you’re having a particularly overwhelming day. Anything you put up there can come back to hurt you, especially if you’re still going through the legal process. 

6. Take Care of Yourself

This should go without saying, but unfortunately, it can be difficult to remember to put yourself first sometimes — especially if there are children involved. 

Do your best to not let the divorce consume you, and don’t let your children distract you so much that you forget to take care of yourself. 

Self-care, as cliche as it may sound, is critical for coping with divorce stress. Take time to attend to your personal and emotional needs and do the things that you love. 

7. Try to Avoid a Lengthy Legal Process

Divorce stress is quadrupled when there is a lengthy, and even worse — messy, legal process involved. Unfortunately, there’s always some sort of legal process when terminating a marriage. It can’t be avoided. 

However, you can work to make it as civil and clean as possible. Choose mediation instead of going to court — especially if you have children and need a healthy way to discuss custody options. 

We Can Help With Divorce Stress

Dealing with divorce stress is overwhelming. There’s so much to do, so many things to figure out, and a huge emotional heartbreak on top of it all. It’s important that you take the time to look after yourself during this difficult time. 

We can help make the process a little easier for you. As experts in family law, we can advise you on everything you need to know about the divorce process so that you can be prepared.