Divorce is not easy on anyone involved. It can come with the same feelings and emotions as losing a loved one. You are losing someone who has played a key role in your life for a significant period of time. When you are going through divorce, you will most likely go through the five stages of grief.
Denial
Even if you are the spouse who is seeking divorce, you will likely go through the stage of denial. An example of this feeling would be if you are filing for divorce because your spouse had an affair, you may deny that the affair ever happened.
Anger
It may take the longest to make it through this stage. You may also find yourself coming back to this stage after thinking you finally made it through. Do not get discouraged. Keep on pushing.
Bargaining
This stage consists of wanting to fix the damage the divorce has caused. You may be thinking, “can I fix the marriage” or, “will I ever find someone else who makes me happy.” These are all questions that come from the bargaining stage.
Depression
This stage can take a huge toll on your mental, and even physical health. At some points you may feel so down that you cannot bring yourself to get up out of bed, or you cannot eat even a simple cracker. This is all normal and part of the grieving process. If this stage is affecting your daily life for significant periods of time, you may want to consider joining a divorce support group or speaking with a therapist.
Acceptance
If you have made it to this stage, congratulations. Although just because you have accepted the divorce does not mean you have to be happy about it. Acceptance purely means that you have come to terms with what happened and know that you must move forward. If you are struggling to move forward, consider speaking with a therapist.