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How can getting divorced affect my mental health?

Divorce has become a part of modern-day life, but that unfortunate reality doesn't make it any less painful if it happens to you. No one gets married thinking their relationship will end in divorce, and the failure of a relationship can be tough on all concerned. Getting divorced can, for a time, remarkably affect your mental health.

For some individuals, their divorce may have been gaining momentum for quite some time. Lack of common ground, lethargy, apathy, plus an increased lack of respect may mean that the couple has simply been sharing the same house but little else. Some may have thought their marriage was all right until they got served with the divorce papers!

Yes, living together takes hard work, understanding, and open communication. If these values don't exist, your marriage can erode quickly. It's easy to slip into "auto-pilot," going through your daily routine, numb to your surroundings. At some point, you may decide you've had enough and it's time to get a divorce. Does this sound familiar?

How many of us start our married lives off with music in them, only to find it fading over time? Once the "music" is gone, bickering and fighting may replace it. The rolling of the eyes, the raised eyebrow, can become all too commonplace, eroding the relationship, bit by bit.

We may be able to work through these bad feelings by talking things out, but for some people, criticism can lead to feelings of rejection. It often takes a real commitment to improving one's marriage. And if this doesn't happen, what next? In desperation, some may turn to divorce.