Psychological Effects of Divorce
Divorce is a difficult, emotional time for anyone and everyone involved. But it doesn’t have to be as hard as it seems. With good divorce lawyers in Durban, even the divorce is much easier.
Divorce can be detrimental for those involved in it and has been shown to affect children’s mental health as well (Shiller). It was also found that there were increased risks of depression among adults who went through divorces when compared with people who had never been divorced before (Carter). There have been mixed results from studies on how much marriage affects one’s happiness level over time. Some show evidence that married couples tend to have higher levels of happiness than their single counterparts while others don’t find any difference in reported levels of happiness.
However, going through a divorce can be really hard, and there are a number of psychological effects that people have to deal with after going through it. A lot of the time divorce is due to one or both partners not feeling as though they can make each other happy anymore which can lead to feelings of loss (Carter).
The good news is that getting divorced doesn’t mean you’re doomed for life. You may feel like giving up at first, but know that most couples who go through this eventually find their way back into the dating world again – some even remarrying!
Sometimes divorce is a healthier option for the whole family.
The psychological effects of divorce are often divided into three categories: initial reaction, adjustment to new life after divorce, and finally, long-term (lasting) effects.
Initial Reaction: The initial emotional response that occurs as a result of the decision to end a marriage is not always positive. People may experience anger or depression which can lead to feelings like guilt, shame, sadness, and even relief depending on how they feel about their former partner (Carter).
Adjustment in Life After Divorce: Once people have adjusted to the idea that their relationship has ended for good—which usually takes between six months to two years—they must begin rebuilding themselves emotionally by doing things they enjoy again such as working with children or volunteering in nursing homes.
Long-term effects: Long-term effects refer mainly to changes in mood after the divorce. The most common symptoms of these include low self-esteem and decreased libido levels (Fletcher).
