5 Stages of Grief in a Divorce - San Diego, CA

Divorce is tough. In fact, according to the American Institute of Stress, divorce is the number two most stressful situation in your life—after the death of a loved one. That is why it is so important to take care of yourself and your family on an emotional level during the divorce process. One of the best ways to do this is to understand that, like any situation where you grieve, there are five stages of divorce. When you realize this, you can give yourself the emotional attention you deserve.

The Five Stages of Grief in a Divorce

The “Five Stages of Grief” are well-known. These stages (according to Grief.com) are listed below. As you can see, it is possible to attribute each step to your emotions and healing during the divorce process, creating five stages of divorce, too.

Denial

The first step of any grief process is denial. In this stage, you may feel like your divorce won’t happen and that you and your partner will reconcile. Denial can be one of the most dangerous emotional divorce states because if you get “stuck” in this state, it may drag out the divorce process and make it harder to heal.

Anger

The anger step may seem over-the-top, but it too is vital for your healing process. For many, the anger stage is when they call a divorce attorney—because it suddenly becomes important to be “right” or “win.” Luckily, the best divorce lawyers help their clients move forward in grieving (and with the divorce).

Bargaining

When the worst of the anger passes, those going through divorce may begin to feel like they would do anything to make the pain go away. During this step, it is important to make sure you don’t lose touch with what is truly important—your happiness. Your own joy is not worth any bargain.

Depression

Once the bargaining stage has passed, the feelings about a divorce begin to hit home. At this stage, some level of depression is quite normal. No matter what your reason for divorce, it is common to feel lonely and sad about the loss of this relationship. When facing depression, don’t face it alone. Make sure you have someone (a counselor, friend or clergy) who will listen and help you learn to take care of yourself.

Acceptance

Acceptance doesn’t mean you are all better. It simply means you have realized that the divorce is the “new” normal for you. Acceptance means that you will begin having good days and learn how to live as a divorced person.

An Experienced Divorce Attorney Can Help Throughout the Process

As you can see, there are many emotions associated with divorce. Because of these emotions, you need to have people you can count on to help you as you move through the process. If you are located in or around San Diego County, California, the team at the Law Offices of Renkin & Associates can help. Our knowledgeable and caring divorce lawyers can work with you every step of the way—helping you reach acceptance and begin the healing process. We look forward to helping you during this trying time.