Divorce is one of those life decisions that seems to bring some relief in life by overcoming toxic relationships. However, it is also challenging for couples when their children are involved. Unfortunately, the entire family must suffer greatly from this major life shift. Breakup is majorly induced in causing stress, anxiety and depression. The occurrence of anxiety and panic attacks is common in divorce. Approximately, 40% of the individuals report anxiety during or after the phase of divorce.
However, if you want to know more about how divorce anxiety and panic attacks are interlinked then read this article thoroughly. You will better understand the panic disorder and divorce. Moreover, you will also get familiar with how you can cope with divorce anxiety and panic attacks. So let’s take a look!
What is Divorce Anxiety?
Stress is a part of life. It’s quite normal that whenever a person gets stuck into any difficult situation or faces any distressing situation experiences anxiety. If the anxiety occurs only for a limited period then there is nothing to worry about. However, if the period of stress or anxiety is getting prolonged, it becomes necessary to take some preventive measures. If the anxiety gets severe, then it can lead to the occurrence of panic attacks.
Divorce is one of those stressful life experiences. It is quite common for individuals to experience anxiety after a divorce. Divorce anxiety is a term which indicates the response towards the fear and uncertainty due to divorce. If the divorce anxiety gets prolonged then individuals can have different episodes of panic attacks. Other studies have reported that most individuals feel panic attacks after the first divorce file and the symptoms can last for about 12 weeks.
However, if you treat your anxiety during divorce on time, you can handle your situation and prevent the development of panic disorder or panic attacks after the divorce. So each individual should be familiar with each aspect of divorce anxiety and panic attacks to get rid of them.
What are Panic Attacks?
Panic attacks mean that your mental condition is worse now. They are the sudden intense feelings of fear, stress or anxiety. Individuals usually lose control over their minds as a wave of physical intensity appears over their bodies. During panic attacks, they experience the following common symptoms:
- Elevated heart rate
- Increased blood pressure
- Sweating
- Shaking of hands
- Intense perspiration
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Numbness
- Chills
- Dizziness
- Muscle stiffness
- Dissociation
- Lightheadedness
What are the causes of Divorce anxiety?
Although people usually decide on divorce to break their chain of unhealthy and toxic marital life, still they get into a phase of anxiety due to the fear of any unknown situation in the fear. But thinking about their own life and their children, they become victims of divorce anxiety which can severely affect their different life aspects.
Multiple negative thoughts appear in their mind that make them more anxious. Theu experiences a range of negative emotions and thoughts.
- They take stress by thinking that their child will get emotionally disturbed after their separation
- They think that they will have to face multiple difficulties in the future
- They have extreme uncertainty about their future
- They continue to blame themselves for the bad choices in their marital life
- They feel fear that they will not find anyone who will understand them and give them emotional support
- They remain worried that society will judge them by their hard decision
- They feel stuck as they think that they are not financially stable and can’t survive alone
- They take the stress of losing their children after getting separated from their partner
- They feel guilty about their decision
Due to all these negative thoughts and emotions, their body also responds in that way. Their body’s sympathetic system gets activated which in turn stimulates the fight-and-fight response. Different symptoms start appearing on their body. If the condition becomes worse then it leads to panic attacks.
How Divorce can trigger panic attacks?
Divorce is a heartbreaking experience and can trigger anxiety and panic attacks in the following ways:
Elevated stress levels
Divorce can result in elevated stress levels due to fear, future uncertainty and other financial concerns. Increased stress levels can lead to panic attacks.
Sadness and grief
After getting separated from their partner, individuals think that they are unable to face life challenges and therefore experience a sense of sadness or grief. This can increase the levels of panic attacks.
What types of anxiety disorders are linked with Divorce anxiety?
If the person is experiencing divorce anxiety, then there is a greater probability to get suffering from another type of anxiety disorder which includes:
Panic disorder
This involves the occurrence of panic attacks after getting exposed to any frightening and distressing situation e.g. divorce proceedings.
Generalized anxiety disorder
Individuals take excessive stress and remain lost in their anxious or negative thoughts. Moreover, their stress also gets amplified with the divorce.
Separation anxiety disorder
As the name indicates, individuals feel stress after getting separated from their partner or children due to their strong emotional dependence on them.
Do panic attacks mean you have panic disorder?
Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder which involves the occurrence of panic attacks. Individuals suffering from panic disorder usually take anxiety between the panic attacks. They think that they can experience a panic attack at any time and therefore remain in a distressing situation. The number of panic attacks varies depending on the mental state of individuals. However, some people have one panic attack during the time of divorce and never experience it again.
But if you are having panic attacks, then it does not mean that you are suffering from a panic disorder. However, some studies reported that approximately 15% of the individuals experiencing panic attacks can develop panic disorder. Whenever you think that you are on the verge of having a panic disorder then start considering the early intervention to make a big difference in your life.
How to cope with Panic attacks?
Panic attacks usually last for about 5 to 20 minutes. However, if the person is not getting immediate preventive measures then it can last for about an hour. But with the help of some preventive measures, you can deal with panic attacks.
Whenever you feel panic, close your eyes and start breathing slowly. By doing this for a few seconds, you will feel relaxed. With shallow breathing, your brain will receive the signal that there is no risk and there is nothing to stress about.
After that, open your eyes and start focusing on any object that is near to you. Start thinking about its qualities so your mind will get distracted from the negative thoughts. Moreover, start focusing on your present and enjoy the moments without thinking about the past and future.
How to Cope with Divorce Anxiety and Panic Attacks?
Always remember that divorce does not mean that your life is ended now. You need to think about yourself by coping with divorce anxiety and panic attacks. By making some positive changes in your life, you can smartly deal with divorce anxiety and panic attacks.
Self-care
Give priority to yourself and start practicing self-care. Focus on your eating and sleeping patterns. Eat fresh fruits, and vegetables and add some protein sources to your diet to stay mentally active and healthy. Likewise, try to sleep and wake up early on time so you strengthen your mind.
Furthermore, don’t forget to perform regular exercise or workouts. A workout of just 10 to 15 minutes is enough to make you physically and mentally strong and active.
Show kindness to yourself
Some individuals start blaming themselves for their panic attacks. If you are one of them then stop doing this as panic attacks are not your fault. Be kind to yourself and start showing love to yourself.
Mourn and grieve
Most of the people think that they should not express their emotions, sadness or grief. However, studies reveal that if you bring out your emotions, you feel more better. So try to find someone with whom you can share your feelings and feel better.
Stay patient
Do not make hasty decisions. Have some patience and hope for the best as good things will surely gonna happen and you will have a better life ahead.
Make positive additions
As you are free now after divorce, you can do all those things that are positive and productive for your mental health.
Avoid social isolation
To diminish your anxiety, do not isolate yourself. Interact with other women you think are trustworthy. Show your interest in different social activities to engage your mind in a positive direction. In this way, there is a greater possibility that you will also find some new and good people who can help you to make a new start in life.
Don’t ignore the problem
When you experience the first panic attack, then it’s time to think about yourself and start taking preventive measures so you stay protected from the next panic attack. Don’t ignore your mental state and adopt some preventive strategies. Consult with mental health professionals and take some necessary steps to cope with the divorce anxiety and panic attacks.
What are the other solutions for Divorce anxiety?
Other solutions for divorce anxiety are as follows:
Consult with your Doctor
As divorce anxiety involves multiple physical symptoms that can interfere with your daily life activities, talk to your doctor and share your all symptoms. After analyzing your situation, your doctor can recommend any medication that diminishes your physical symptoms of divorce anxiety.
Find a Therapist
If you feel that your mental health is getting disturbed day by day then you can also communicate with the mental health professional. Share your all mental health concerns with the professional expert so you get complete guidance on how to overcome your divorce anxiety. Experts first take a complete psychological evaluation to identify the triggers of their anxiety. Then they guide the individuals that how they can avoid their divorce anxiety. They learn different coping strategies including deep breathing techniques and various mindfulness activities.
What is the main treatment for Divorce anxiety and Panic attacks?
The effective treatment or therapy for anxiety and panic attacks involves different therapies including :
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a major and most commonly used psychotherapy to treat divorce anxiety and panic attacks. During the cognitive behavioural therapy sessions, experts guide the individuals that how they can identify their negative thoughts and reframe them accordingly. Experts also teach individuals different coping strategies to deal with divorce anxiety-related symptoms and prevent panic attacks.
Exposure and prevention therapy
Exposure and response prevention therapy is a major component of CBT. With the help of this therapy, affected individuals can neutralize their fear and learn to move ahead without any stress or fear.
Get the Professional help from Brainpower Wellness Institute
If you or someone you know is passing through a difficult phase of divorce, then take our professional help. Brainpower Wellness Institute is one of the top mental health platforms that provides the finest mental health services for all common mental health issues including anxiety, depression, OCD bipolar disorder etc. We are providing top-notch mental health support for divorced individuals. Our mental health experts also provide guidance to treat or prevent divorce anxiety and panic attacks. By following their guidelines, you can protect your mental health from the emotional effects of divorce and break the negative and undesired association between mental health and divorce. So there is no need to stress about your future and start giving priority to yourself. Treat your mental illness with different Stress management during divorce and start living a happier life.
