Divorcees have two options: move on with life or let the divorce become unhealthy. It’s perfectly fine to have bouts of tears and to be afraid of living life as a single person. When a couple remains together, they have a support system that falls apart if they get divorced.
It’s not going to be easy, but it becomes even harder if you allow yourself to become unhealthy.
The most important thing for you following your divorce is your health. A healthy divorcee can push through the divorce, play with their kids, remain strong and rebuild their lives.
It’s not easy, and you’ll be depressed at times. But life is a lot easier when you’re in good health.
1. Exercise Your Stress Away
Exercise is great for your body and not just to stay fit and strong. Chemical changes in the body occur when you exercise which releases endorphins. And these endorphins are often called post-exercise highs.
When released, these endorphins:
- Decrease stress
- Improve immune system response
- Decrease appetite
- Alleviate anxiety
Serotonin is also released after exercise which helps:
- Boost natural mood
- Decreases depression
Just a few exercise sessions per week benefit a divorcee.
2. Utilize Your Support Network
Support is essential when dealing with a divorce. Even the strongest person will need to use their support network to overcome their divorce. The knowing that a person is not alone is a comfort that’s undervalued.
See what your network can do for you.
A friend may:
- Ask for your help
- Ask you out to lunch
- Call you to see how you’re doing
Be receptive to these inquiries and work to keep yourself busy. If you don’t have a support group in place, join divorce groups, join classes or go to a local meetup group for new divorcees. Even a psychologist can provide you with support.
These are people you can share your pain and struggles with. If you find yourself leaning on the support of your children, you may want to consider talking among your network first.
3. Make Plans Ahead of Time to Reduce Stress
You will need to make plans and decisions – don’t become paralyzed in depression. Fear from the unknown often keeps people stuck in their home or in situations of intense stress. If you want to avoid these situations, plan ahead:
- Plan for your move
- Ask friends for help
- Plan well ahead of time
- Prepare, prepare, prepare
If you’ll be moving to a new home, there will be a lot of prep work you need to tackle on your own. Waiting until the last minute to prepare properly is a recipe for disaster. Adequate preparation, even if this only includes calling a friend or asking a professional for help, will reduce unneeded stress.
4. Avoid New Relationships
Romantic relationships are a part of human nature. People need to feel loved, and in moments of feeling alone, this need intensifies. Starting a new relationship when ending a marriage isn’t a good idea.
You’ll act on impulse and fear, and this can lead to additional heartache.
The appropriate thing to do is:
- Reflect on the relationship that ended
- Work on yourself and your happiness
- Allow time to grieve and grow
- Take dating slowly
New romantic relationships should not occur days after a divorce because they’re filled with emotion and often lead to heartache. Enjoy the new, single you and make sure that new relationships are only started for the right reasons.
5. Be Aware of Food Intake
Everyone takes divorce differently. A lot of people will be in pain after a divorce, yet other divorcees rejoice. But one thing divorcees often do is turn to comfort food to help them overcome the struggles of divorce.
Weight gain is the major consequence of this habit.
But people also need to worry about their health when they turn to comfort food. Processed foods can lead a person to increase their risk of:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Breathing problems
There’s also the need to make sure you eat a healthy diet. It’s just as bad to starve yourself as it is to overeat. Dehydration or even alcohol consumption are a very real concern and can lead to health issues or even addiction in the case of alcohol.
If you find yourself in this scenario, you’re better off writing down all the food you eat and alcohol consumed to ensure that you’re remaining in a healthy consumption range.
Divorce is difficult, and for some, divorce can seem like the end of existence. If you find yourself struggling to cope with life after divorce, counseling may be the best option. There is help available to help men and women overcome the emotional difficulties after divorce.
The Micklin Law Group, LLC is a New Jersey law firm focusing on family law and estates. Attorney Brad Micklin was recently named to The National Advocates list of Top 100 attorneys from each state. Brad has experience working with divorces in New Jersey. You can read more on this topic by visiting our divorce blog. To set up a consultation, call 973-562-0100.
