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  • What Is Depression?What Is Depression?
  • Life After DivorceLife After Divorce
  • Signs & SymptomsSigns & Symptoms
  • Tips for OvercomingTips for Overcoming
  • When to Get HelpWhen to Get Help
  • ConclusionConclusion
  • Additional ResourcesAdditional Resources
  • InfographicsInfographics
Depression Articles Depression Depression Treatments Types of Depression Online Therapy for Depression

How to Cope With Depression After Divorce

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Author: Jaclyn Gulotta, LMHC

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Dr. Jaclyn Gulotta LMHC

Dr. Jaclyn specializes in anxiety, couples, marriage, family, and individual counseling, offering tailored therapy for modern challenges.

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Headshot of Naveed Saleh MD, MS

Medical Reviewer: Naveed Saleh, MD, MS Licensed medical reviewer

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Naveed Saleh MD, MS

Dr. Saleh is an experienced physician and a leading voice in medical journalism. His contributions to evidence-based mental health sites have helped raise awareness and reduce stigma associated with mental health disorders.

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Published: March 24, 2023
  • What Is Depression?What Is Depression?
  • Life After DivorceLife After Divorce
  • Signs & SymptomsSigns & Symptoms
  • Tips for OvercomingTips for Overcoming
  • When to Get HelpWhen to Get Help
  • ConclusionConclusion
  • Additional ResourcesAdditional Resources
  • InfographicsInfographics

Regardless of whether divorce was your decision or not, the change it represents can be scary. This transition into the unknown may lead to mood changes, depression, and anxiety. Ways to deal with divorce and overcome depression after divorce include allowing yourself time to grieve and heal; talking with family, friends, or a professional; and accepting the reality of what you can and cannot control.

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What Is Depression?

Depression involves a consistent low mood, sadness, and often hopelessness. It can also come with feelings of tiredness and thoughts of self-harm.

Why Is Life After Divorce Difficult?

Life after divorce can be difficult; sometimes, individuals may actually go through the stages of grief in a divorce or experience PTSD after divorce. When kids are involved, it can become an even greater challenge. Knowing how to talk to your kids after divorce can be particularly difficult and may cause people to experience depression.

During the transition period of divorce, which can be a traumatic life event, people in a family system go through an adjustment period and may experience a sense of loss. Social support is a major resource for overcoming this crisis and successfully adjusting to post-divorce life.

Divorce signals the end of a marriage and the final loss of a once-intimate relationship. Issues after divorce that cause increased grief and depression include economic problems and a relative lack of personal support.1

Signs & Symptoms of Divorce Depression

Divorced individuals may experience depression symptoms like social isolation, health problems, and less overall happiness.2 The process of divorce or ending a marriage involves a dramatic change that also signifies a major loss in terms of self-definition and future aspirations.3

Individuals may also have their own views on the morality of divorce. Those who believe it is “wrong” to divorce may experience more distress than those who do not embrace this belief.4

Signs of depression after divorce include the following:

  • Fatigue
  • Crying for no reason
  • Feelings of hopelessness
  • Suicidal ideation
  • Irritability
  • Insomnia
  • Anxiousness
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Difficulty concentrating

Divorce is negatively related to all dimensions of mental health for both sexes.5 That said, women may suffer more from low self-esteem after a divorce, while men may suffer more from a decrease in autonomy and competence. Men and women both experience stress post-divorce, though they may express it differently. Women tend to internalize and men tend to externalize.5,6

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8 Tips For Overcoming Divorce Depression

Healing after a marriage ends and learning how to move on after a divorce takes time; it’s a highly individualized process. Tips to overcome depression after divorce include practicing self-compassion, engaging in healthy habits, socializing, and seeking professional help.

Eight tips to overcome depression after divorce include:

1. Eat Healthy

When you start prioritizing your health, both physically and mentally, it may help to change how you feel about yourself. Healthy eating, for example, can help you feel stronger and more focused. In turn, this helps you stay focused on what is important to keep you moving forward.

2. Socialize

Make healthy boundaries and decide when and how you want to socialize. Finding social events where people share the same interests will help you feel supported and less alone. When it comes to tips for dating after divorce, everyone is different. When you’re ready, meeting new people may help give you the confidence you need to get through the healing process.

3. Treat Yourself Kindly

When you go through a divorce, you may start to blame yourself or have negative self-thoughts. Knowing how to love yourself is vital. Practice self-compassion and remind yourself that you are not in control of certain situations or other people’s behaviors. Treating yourself kindly by using positive affirmations can help you remember that you matter and are enough (e.g., “I still deserve love even after my divorce”).

4. Develop Healthy Coping Skills

Developing healthy coping skills can give you healthy outlets to deal with stressful situations. Coping skills include exercise, spending quality time with friends and family, journaling, practicing mindfulness, and engaging in relaxation techniques. Take time to find out what works for you and use it as a way to reduce stress or negative emotions during your daily routine.

5. Reach Out For Support

Remind yourself that it’s OK to reach out for support. Whether you feel like your ideal support comes from interacting face-to-face or on a zoom call with a friend, make sure to schedule time to vent with the people you feel safe around. This will help you process your thoughts and start healing.

6. Seek Professional Help

Seeking professional help is just as important as reaching out for personal support. A professional can help you work through any negative thought patterns, focus on your strengths, and build the life you want to create. A professional can also help you reframe negative self-doubt and provide healthy coping skills to manage painful emotions.

7. Give Yourself Time to Heal

Remember, you don’t have to place pressure on yourself to bounce back right away after a major life transition or traumatic life event. Give yourself time to process and accept your emotions. If someone asks how you’re doing, it’s OK to say you’re still healing. If you try to rush the process, you may find that you suppress those painful feelings and they just show up again later.

8. Find the Positive

Remember who you were before this relationship—Who you are at your core. Focus on your strengths and how to lead with them. As you focus on the positive, you can also concentrate on your future and remind yourself that you are in control of what happens.

When to Seek Professional Help for Divorce Depression

If you find yourself struggling to be productive or even get out of bed most days, then it may be time to seek professional help. Therapy can help by providing someone with healthy coping skills and tools to overcome their depression after divorce. It’s beneficial for anyone who is going through a challenging adjustment period.

Treatment For Post Divorce Depression

Cognitive therapy aims to counteract the effects of maladaptive schemas and can help the patient become less vulnerable to future depressions.7 Cognitive therapy uses behavioral techniques with the goal of modifying automatic thoughts.7

For someone who is experiencing depression, working with a therapist for individual divorce counseling can teach coping skills and how to overcome negative self-thoughts. To find and choose the therapist or counselor who is right for you, start your search in an online therapist directory.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, call 9-1-1, call the National Suicide Preention Lifelife (800-273-8255), or go to your nearest emergency room.

Final Thoughts on Divorce Depression

Divorce depression is difficult but there are ways to move forward. You don’t have to feel alone or ashamed. Knowing that this is an adjustment period and you will get through it can help you focus on yourself and prioritize your healing process.

Additional Resources

To help our readers take the next step in their mental health journey, ChoosingTherapy.com has partnered with leaders in mental health and wellness. ChoosingTherapy.com is compensated for marketing by the companies included below.

Online Therapy

BetterHelp – Get support and guidance from a licensed therapist. BetterHelp has over 30,000 therapists who provide convenient and affordable online therapy. BetterHelp starts at $65 per week and is FSA/HSA eligible by most providers. Take a free online assessment and get matched with the right therapist for you. Free Assessment

Therapy for Depression & Medication Management

Brightside Health – If you’re struggling with depression, finding the right medication can make a difference. Brightside Health treatment plans start at $95 per month. Following a free online evaluation and receiving a prescription, you can get FDA approved medications delivered to your door. Free Assessment

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For Further Reading

  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeine: 800-273-TALK (8255)
  • Best Books About Separation & Divorce for 2022
  • Mental Health American (MHA): Coping with Separation and Divorce
  • National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): 5 Things You Should Know About Stress 
  • NIMH: Depression

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Depression After Divorce Infographics

Why Is Life After Divorce Difficult? Signs & Symptoms of Divorce Depression Tips For Overcoming Divorce Depression

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Sources Update History

ChoosingTherapy.com strives to provide our readers with mental health content that is accurate and actionable. We have high standards for what can be cited within our articles. Acceptable sources include government agencies, universities and colleges, scholarly journals, industry and professional associations, and other high-integrity sources of mental health journalism. Learn more by reviewing our full editorial policy.

  • Menaghan, E. G., & Lieberman, M. A. (1986). Changes in depression following divorce: A panel study. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 319-328. Retrieved from: https://www.jstor.org/stable/352399

  • Amato, P. R. (2014). The consequences of divorce for adults and children: An update. Društvena istraživanja-Časopis za opća društvena pitanja, 23(01), 5-24. Retrieved from: https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=259502

  • Bruce, M. L. (1998). Divorce and psychopathology. Adversity, stress, and psychopathology, 219-232. Retrieved from: https://books.google.com/books?id=Vb7kiJawUu8C&dq=depression+and+divorce

  • Booth, A., & Amato, P. (1991). Divorce and psychological stress. Journal of health and social behavior, 396-407. Retrieved from: https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/2137106.pdf

  • Symoens, S., Van de Velde, S., Colman, E., & Bracke, P. (2014). Divorce and the multidimensionality of men and women’s mental health: The role of social-relational and socio-economic conditions. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 9(2), 197-214. Retrieved from: https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/3211164/file/3229176

  • Kołodziej-Zaleska, A., & Przybyła-Basista, H. (2016). Psychological well-being of individuals after divorce: The role of social support.
    Retrieved from: https://rebus.us.edu.pl/bitstream/20.500.12128/3307/1/Kolodziej-Zaleska_Psychological_well-being_of_individuals_after_divorce.pdf

  • Young, J. E., Rygh, J. L., Weinberger, A. D., & Beck, A. T. (2014). Cognitive therapy for depression. Retrieved from: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2014-05860-009

Show more Click here to open the article sources container.

We regularly update the articles on ChoosingTherapy.com to ensure we continue to reflect scientific consensus on the topics we cover, to incorporate new research into our articles, and to better answer our audience’s questions. When our content undergoes a significant revision, we summarize the changes that were made and the date on which they occurred. We also record the authors and medical reviewers who contributed to previous versions of the article. Read more about our editorial policies here.

May 7, 2025
Author: No Change
Reviewer: No Change
Primary Changes: Added Depression Workbook with nine worksheets.
March 24, 2023
Author: No Change
Reviewer: No Change
Primary Changes: Updated for readability and clarity. Reviewed and added relevant resources.
April 26, 2o22
Author: Jaclyn Gulotta, LMHC
Reviewer: Naveed Saleh, MD, MS
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