Some couples are able to move through the end of their marriage with grace, and while treating each other with respect and courtesy. For others, however, divorce is a far more divisive experience, one that can be fraught with tension and stress. When a New York divorce is particularly combative, the result can be harmful to one's mental health.
A recently published article discusses the possibility of spouses being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during or after a difficult divorce. PTSD is a serious psychological condition, and one that affects soldiers and various emergency workers who go through severe trauma while on the job. In regard to divorce, PTSD can occur when one spouse suffers greatly at the hands of the other, especially when the process is prolonged.
Spouses who suffer from PTSD may find themselves revisiting the trauma of their divorce through flashbacks or frequent thoughts about the scenarios that played out during the process of ending the marriage. They may also become overly sensitive to normal stimuli, a condition known as heightened arousal. This can lead to problems relaxing or sleeping, and the feeling that one must always be on guard against some form of danger.
No two New York divorces are alike, and each spouse will move through the divorce process on their own path. When a split is particularly difficult, it is important to monitor the psychological reaction to the stress and anxiety experienced. Seeking help in the early stages of a combative divorce can make the process easier to handle, especially if PTSD is an issue. There are a range of therapeutic responses that can help sufferers recover and regain a normal, helthy emotional state.
Source: The Huffington Post, What It's Like To Suffer From PTSD Post-Divorce, No author, Jan. 15, 2014
