With athletes like Simone Biles and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, singer Demi Lovato, and shows like A Million Little Things which has a storyline focused on mental health, the once taboo subject has been brought out in the open. Previously mental health was not talked about or brushed under the rug, however now it is an important topic of conversation. Understanding your mental health is very important. Especially now during this pandemic it is easy to let worry get the best of you.
Mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It can determine how we relate to others, make decisions, and how we handle stress. Mental health affects everything from how we think, act, and feel. During the pandemic, 4 in 10 adults in the US have reported symptoms of increased anxiety and depression. While the pandemic brings added stress to any relationship, GetDivorcePapers.com have found there has been a decline in divorces across the United States. With that being said, divorce can happen and couple that with the ongoing stress from the pandemic it is more important than ever to take care of yourself.
According to Get Divorce Papers , divorce can be one of the most emotional and stressful experiences you face in life. It is a lifechanging event, but you cannot let that consume you. It is important to recognize that it is okay to have a range of emotions. From sad to angry, exhausted to frustrated, confused to relieved, there is no right or wrong way to feel. While you may feel like you are ready to explode with emotions, remember these feelings will not last forever. It is important to acknowledge your feelings and work through them. It is okay to cry or get mad. During this time, you need to fully feel all your feelings so that you can let go and move forward.
Share how you are feeling with friends and family. In this day and age, those closest to you are no more than a click away. You do not need to go through this difficult time alone. Remember that your loved ones will be there for you and are there to support you. Reaching out for help and support is important and no one that loves you will be bothered by you asking for help. There are also support groups out there that can help. Finding others that are going through similar situations help you realize that you are not alone. There are people out there going through the same things that you are or have already gone through it and can give advice you need to move on. They can give you helpful tips and let you know what not to do so that you do not make the same mistakes they did. The most important thing to remember is to not isolate yourself. Isolation is the biggest enemy of mental health.
Do not be afraid to take a break. Divorce causes such a disruption in your life. The stress of the situation may cause you to be less productive at work and cause your health to deteriorate. If you can get away, do it. Even if it is just a weekend get-away or a staycation, take a break away from everything. Relax and take the time to decompress and relax. For that time do not think about what is going on and just take care of yourself. Whether it is sitting by the pool, taking a hike, or getting pampered do something you enjoy. Take the time you need to regroup, re-energize, and begin to heal.
Spend time getting to know yourself again. You have spent time blending your life with another person. Now it is time to reestablish who you are as a person. It is essential for your mental health that you do not jump right back into another relationship. Explore what you are interested in. Pick up a new hobby, join a gym, start a new book. There are a lot of ways to get back to what makes you, you.
Be positive. This maybe one of the most difficult, but also vital for your mental health. Your life is changing that while you might be sad, there are a lot of things to be grateful for. If you are getting divorced, chances are that your relationship was not in a good place causing a lot of stress. At the very least you can be happy that you do not need to fight or argue anymore. You have the rest of your life ahead of you. It is up to you to wake up each morning and decide to make the most of it.
Learn from this experience. As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill you makes your stronger.” There is a lot that you can learn from this experience. One is that you are stronger than you think. If you can get through this difficult time you can get through anything. Also, you should take the time to reflect on what went wrong in the relationship, so the same mistakes are not repeated in the future. This can be anything from picking a different type of person to date to learning different ways to deal with disagreements. While it is important to reflect on what happened it is not healthy to dwell on what happened.
Finally, avoid using food, alcohol, or drugs to cope. Often when people are feeling desperate or stressed it is easy to slip back or fall into unhealthy behaviors. Things that we may think as comforting or help us to forget/ feel good will do the most harm. It is so dangerous to give into addictions which will cause long term effects that will last far longer than the immediate pain you are feeling now. It also only delays and prolongs the pain you are feeling. All of the hard work you are doing to move forward in a positive way will be pointless if you don’t make long-term healthy lifestyle choices.
The bottom line is that you need to take care of yourself. Remember being healthy is more then what you eat or how often you exercise. Your mental health effects all areas of your life. Mental health impacts your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Becoming healthy emotionally ager divorce can promote productivity in all aspects of your life.