Experiencing grief and depression from divorce is common when a person's marriage ends.  The sense of loss can be comparable to the pain of losing a loved one.  In essence, it is the death of your marriage.  It can be a very sad time in your life as you lay to rest all the dashed hopes and dreams. Right now, you may feel as if you’ll never love anyone the way that you loved your husband.

Things that you may be feeling:
Your pain is real, and as you begin your divorce recovery you may experience some or all of the following symptoms of depression from divorce to some extent:

• Inability to sleep or sleeping more than usual
• Over eating or a total lack of appetite
• Fatigue
• Unusual aches and pains
• Excessive alcohol or drug use
• Difficulty concentrating
• Persistent negative thoughts
• Irritability or anger
• Anxiousness or restlessness
• Sense of guilt or worthlessness
• Pessimism or indifference
• Loss of interest in formerly pleasurable activities
• Recurrent thoughts of death
• Thoughts of suicide - *Get Help Immediately*

It's Okay to Ask for Help
While it is normal to feel these things off and on, you should consult your doctor if you are experiencing at least four of these symptoms on a daily basis for a prolonged period.  Your symptoms may be caused by lingering depression.  When you are facing these on a continual basis, there is no shame in asking for help.  When there is a death in the family, people offer their support.  When a divorce occurs, this help is often lacking, so you may need to seek out your own support.  Just remember that you probably won't feel this way forever.

For the time being, though, depression from divorce can seem to color everything in your life.  So how do you get beyond this empty feeling?  First, begin to realistically examine what actually happened in your marriage.  Start to forgive yourself for mistakes you may have made.  Maybe you weren't perfect, but you are basically a good person.  You can't go back and change the past, so let it go, and allow yourself to find contentment in the here and now.


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