When you wake up in the morning, you roll over and your arm naturally falls onto the other side of the bed. You check to see if they’re still there, but all you’re met with is the flat, cold pillow, sheets, and comforter.
After turning off your alarm, you head to the bathroom to get ready for your day. There’s only one towel hanging up. There’s only one toothbrush in the folder. The clothes in your closet and drawers only take up half of the space while the other side lays empty.
Reminders of what used to be, and what could have been, are everywhere. There’s no denying it no matter how hard you try to forget. Let’s learn more about what life after divorce looks like for men.
Physical Health
Unfortunately, men have a tendency to develop health problems while going through something like a divorce. These health problems can include changes like anxiety, depression, sleeping issues, and turning to alcohol or cigarettes — just to name a few. In addition to some of these health issues, they may also experience difficulty with their self-esteem or personal identity.
Harder Grieving Process
Women are known for leaning on their loved ones for support and guidance through difficult situations. Men, on the other hand, don’t find communicating about their hardships to be an easy feat. Instead of discussing how they feel, a lot of men will actually bury their true thoughts and feelings and act like they’re okay. They may even turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms like drinking, gambling, or other reckless behaviors.
Moving on Too Quickly
Because a lot of men struggle to actually acknowledge their true thoughts and emotions relating to the divorce, they have the tendency to move on a bit too quickly. This means they may jump into a new relationship before ever really getting over or processing their marriage and divorce. Dating can act as another unhealthy coping mechanism for them so they don’t have to be or feel like they’re alone. Because they don’t take the time to allow themselves to feel and grieve, this can lead to issues in their next relationship and even another divorce in the future.
Financial Problems
A lot of newly single men deal with financial problems after a divorce — some of this can be caused by their own unhealthy coping mechanisms. In addition, a lot of men have to be the financial support for their ex-partner. This can be compounded if the financial support includes any children that may have been involved in their previous relationship. This can be difficult to manage. They may have to accept a different way of living to financially support everyone involved.
Next Steps
A life change like a divorce can feel overwhelming. It can be difficult to see past the hurt and pain and look forward to what the future may bring. The sooner that you’re able to process all of those thoughts and emotions that you’re carrying, the sooner you’ll be able to move forward in your life again. It may seem scary and even uncomfortable, but there’s help available to help you replace those unhealthy coping mechanisms with more positive ones. It is possible to heal and move forward in your life again, especially with help from a divorce recovery therapist.
Interested in learning more? Reach out today to set up a consultation.