Divorce is an emotional time even if you were the one who chose it, and a common side effect is post-divorce depression. Typically, both men and women experience at least some degree of grief over the loss of the marriage. However, men twice as likely to suffer from post-divorce depression than women.
Everyone is different, and it can take weeks, months or even years getting used to life after a divorce or serious breakup. Children and divorce don’t mix well and trying to keep your family intact, and everyone healthy can add even more stress and cause additional sadness on top of everything else.
Depression after divorce is called “situational depression,” meaning it has a direct, root cause. It differs from “clinical depression” which can be caused by nothing at all and is due to chemical imbalances in the brain and body. Some of the symptoms of post-divorce depression are ignoring responsibility, anger, avoiding family and friends (isolation), poor concentration, focus or memory, and irritability. You may also experience a loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping, fatigue, bouts of emotional upheaval, crying, or feeling of hopelessness.
5 Helpful Tips for Dealing with Divorce Depression
Thankfully there are things you can do to survive divorce and even thrive. If you are experiencing any symptoms of post-divorce depression, use these five tips to start feeling better.
Tip 1 – Write It All Down
There is great power in writing. Many psychologists suggest keeping a daily journal and writing down your innermost feelings to help “let them out.” Others recommend writing a goodbye letter to everything negative you want to let go of so you can start your new life fresh. Get out your divorce records and write all your feelings down on the back of them. This symbolic exercise may help to unleash some of the anger and sadness and provide an outlet for your feelings of depression to purge.
Tip 2 – Get Plenty of Exercise
Exercise every day to boost the positive chemicals in your brain and put a stop to the depression symptoms. Physical activity not only helps your health; it also improves mood and helps with weight loss. Experts suggest 20-40 minutes of exercise every day; even a brisk walk does the trick.
Tip 3 – Eat Healthy
Depression is a breeding ground for unhealthy habits to take root. You may want to indulge in drinking and eating bad stuff but now is the time to eat healthily and boost your immune system. Sugar and alcohol exacerbate depression and make things worse. Instead, eat foods that fuel your body and mind and help you feel better and perhaps as a bonus, you will lose some weight as well.
Tip 4 – Socialize and Connect with Others
It may feel like the last thing you want to do, but it’s important to get yourself out there and connect with other people. Even small bits of socialization can help immeasurably with situational depression. At the very least, you will forget about your troubles for a while as you spend fun time with family or friends.
Tip 5 – Get Plenty of Rest and Take Care of You
Although you may have trouble sleeping, getting a good night’s rest is critical to feeling good each day. Also, take time every day to make sure your needs are met. Pamper yourself with a special coffee drink in the morning, some quiet time in the afternoon to meditate or catch up on sports news. Give yourself time to heal and along the way listen to your favorite music, take a walk, read a book or talk to a close friend about what you are going through. Make you a priority during this challenging time and lean on your support network for help.
Finally, don’t forget to ask for help when you need it. If you don’t have a close network of friends or family for support, reach out to an expert, so you have someone to talk to and help ease you through this journey of change. Remember, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, there is hope, and you will get through it.
