Your divorce, your stress - 5 ways to cope

Author: A Bailey
Published: Sep 19 2012

If you ask anyone who’s been through a divorce, they’ll tell you that it was one of the most stressful times in their lives. A divorce not only means losing someone that you’ve shared the most intimate parts of your life with, it means losing some of the possessions that you hold dear. Getting divorced can also mean a significant change in your financial status. Need great tips for helping manage stress during a divorce? Here are the top five:

1.Eat Right

Many people turn to comfort food during times of stress. Unfortunately, many of these foods lack nutritional value. Instead of turning to a pint of ice cream or a bowl of mashed potatoes, grab a crispy apple or make a green salad. Healthy foods are packed with nutrients that can actually have a positive effect on your mood. Keep in mind that overeating can make you feel worse in the long run. Not only are these foods nutritionally deficient, but they can make you feel sluggish, pudgy, and less than confident.

2.Skip the Alcohol

If your friends want to take you out for a drink to cheer you up, suggest an alternative outing. Alcohol is a depressant and can actually make you feel worse. Instead of heading to the bar for a night that you may not remember, go to your local amusement park, take a trip to the zoo or visit a favorite art museum. No matter what you choose to do, make it something that you enjoy. The natural endorphins that are released when you’re having a good time or laughing will help to keep your mood elevated and reduce stress.

3.Take a Walk

When you are feeling particularly down, lace up your tennis shoes and head outdoors. Take a walk, go for a run or hop on your bike and head down the road. Even if you don’t feel like exercising, make yourself "get out and about." You’ll feel better by the time you return home. If you start following an exercise program as a way to manage your stress, you may even look better as a divorcee than you ever did as someone’s spouse.

4.Create a New You

If you have the money to do it, a complete physical transformation can boost your spirits. Get your hair cut, learn new make-up techniques and go buy a few new outfits. Giving yourself a new look can help you kick-start your new life in a positive way. If you don’t have thousands of dollars to revamp your look, do something simple like getting a manicure, a new haircut or a new pair of shoes; the boost to your ego will help lighten your mood.

5.Alternative Therapies

There are dozens of alternative therapies that can help you relieve some of the stress in your life. Massage, acupuncture, light therapy and even hypnosis can help to alleviate the stress that you are feeling. Try Tapping, the emotional freedom techniques that use your body's natural meridian fields to help release stress. Another great use of alternative therapies, a great massage, can make anyone feel like a million dollars.

Everyone around you knows that the process of divorce can be stressful, and that’s why the they will recommend you seek ways to reduce your anxiety. If you follow the five tips above, your divorce may still knock you through the wringer, but you’ll be able to roll with the punches without devastating changes to your mood.

A Bailey is a former journalist who contributes divorce research for the health and legal fields. She provides this informative article about solutions for divorce trauma, including emotional freedom techniques, to introduce the meridian field healing process which is taught by the online health training cooperative, The Tapping Solution.com.

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