After a divorce, many adults experience feelings similar to grief. In this case, the grief comes from losing a significant person in your life – the end of a relationship. It is normal to develop depression after divorce, no matter how amicable the divorce was. The tips below will help you overcome post-divorce depression so you can move forward with your next chapter in life.
Create Closure for Yourself
Depression lingers when unresolved issues flood your mind. Chances are your divorce was a result of multiple issues that never got resolved. This makes it hard to establish closure so you can move on. Simply put, you have no definitive ending and thus no definitive beginning.
Instead of focusing on finding closure for the relationship, focus on your own closure. You cannot control your former spouse’s actions or reactions. All you can do is come to terms with what caused your divorced and what you can learn from that in the future.
Take some time to write out the struggles you had in your relationship. Identify your role in those issues, and what you could have done to resolve matters in an ideal environment. You can mention your spouse’s role as well, but turn most of the attention to areas of self-improvement, not blame. As you write down your thoughts, you can analyze your feelings and let out any emotions that haven’t been addressed yet. This will make it easier to heal.
Minimize Contact with Your Former Spouse
After divorce, your former spouse becomes a depression trigger. Seeing him or her may anger you or make you upset, which will enhance your depression symptoms. You may not be able to avoid your spouse entirely, but try to speak to him or her as little as possible. Once you work through the peak of your depression, you will not be as easily triggered by his or her presence.
Find New Ways to Get Human Contact
In a relationship, you have constant access to human touch. After the relationship has ended, you may find yourself craving that connection once again. You do not have to go to any extremes to meet your needs. Get a massage, hug your family members when you see them, or get a pedicure. If you have children, spend more time holding your children on the sofa while you watch a movie together. They probably need physical contact just as much as you do.
Talk to a Therapist
Therapy can do wonders for your mental health. With a depression counselor, you can get to the root of your depression and learn effective ways to sort through your emotions. Our depression counseling programs in Novi, MI tackle a range of depression symptoms, from low self-esteem to high stress to suicidal thoughts and more. You deserve a happy life, and depression treatment will put you on the fast-track to that happiness. Contact Perspectives Counseling Centers in Novi, Troy, and other areas of Metro Detroit, MI to schedule an appointment with a therapist near you.