What makes divorces so difficult is that most of the time, one person wants to work out the issues in the relationship while the other wants to end it. But it’s rarely ever simple to end a commitment as serious as marriage. It’s a process that comes with multiple stages of emotional fallout, and it can be helpful to know what you might expect if you’re going through this in Texas.
The first weeks and months
The aftermath of divorce comes in waves for many people, similar to the way that grief works. Oftentimes, the first thing a new divorcee will experience is a shock.
The end of a marriage is a difficult thing to accept. It usually means your world has been turned upside down. The degradation of the relationship may come on slowly, but the actual split generally comes all at once. No matter how much you expect it, it’s natural to be shocked when it happens.
A few weeks into the divorce, life may become a blur. You may find your energy depleted or have difficulty with your mood. Some divorcees can’t find the motivation to do anything and have difficulty discussing it with their families.
It’s also common to repeatedly think about the relationship. You might wonder what might have gone wrong and if the split could have been avoided.
After a few months, the blur may start to subside. It’s common for people to throw themselves into their work life then, or they may start to date again. But at this point, divorcees sometimes find that a rebound relationship starts to go stale. This may be because they see past what initially attracted them to this inversion of their previous partner.
Time to start a new chapter
Once you’re six months to a year out from the separation, it’s possible that you’ll encounter reconciliation attempts. Other times, you might get into disagreements about how child custody should be arranged or other related matters if kids are involved.
At this point, it’s time to take care of legal proceedings like your separation agreement. You might have to deal with family and friends who pick sides, which can be hard to navigate. Divorcees sometimes try to make it so everyone gets along, which may not be possible.
Every couple and individual moves through the divorce process at their own pace. There is no single definitive timetable, but it may help to know what you can expect from this challenging life situation.