5 Ways to Beat Anxiety After Divorce

Divorce can be one of the most stressful times in your life, and it often comes with a myriad of negative feelings – like depression or anger. Here’s how to beat anxiety after divorce before it beats you.

Latina woman lying on her bed while experiencing depression and anxiety after divorce

Going through a divorce can be rough. It may seem like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel when the divorce is finalized, but after the court battles are complete, there is often more time to think about what has happened in your life. Anxiety can be a common feeling after a divorce. Here are five ways to beat divorce-related anxiety so you can get back to living your life.

5 Ways to Beat Anxiety After Divorce

1. Start (or Resume) a Hobby

You may find that picking up a new hobby helps you deal with anxiety after divorce. For many people, having a task that takes their mind off of their anxiety and the troubles they are going through with their divorce can help them heal. A hobby like crocheting offers a repetitive motion that you have to focus on to stick with the pattern.

Pick up a hobby that you used to love, like collecting stamps, or find something new to do, like painting rocks. Painting rocks is a great example as there are communities on social media dedicated to the painting, hiding, and finding of these rocks. Through hashtags, you can follow your rocks to see where they end up. Any hobby you pick can help you. focus on the positive in life and can assist with your anxiety after divorce.

2. Get Organized

Another time when anxiety can creep up on you after a divorce is due to your living arrangements. You may be in the same home, but now alone, or you may have had to find a new space. Either way, it’s a good opportunity to go through your items and get organized. Get rid of anything that has a negative feeling for you, such as old pictures.

It may be satisfying to burn or otherwise destroy these items, but it may be a good idea to see if anyone else would like them. For instance, you may not want your old wedding pictures, but your children may want to keep them for themselves to show their children someday. That ratty sweatshirt that you despise may be better off with your ex or your child. Anything that you have left that you don’t want, you could either destroy it or send it off to a charity thrift store where someone will get more use out of it.

3. Create a New Routine

A new routine can be exactly what you need to shake things up in your life to help handle any anxiety you’re feeling. Many people don’t like change, so it can be hard when one chapter of your life closes. Creating a new routine can help you get out of your old habits and ruts to find a better way to cope.

Your new routine should eliminate any bad behaviors you picked up during the divorce, such as stalking your ex on social media. Focus more on the future you want to have for yourself. It can be hard to move forward, but creating new patterns in your life can be beneficial.

4. Make New Friends

One of the reasons you may be feeling anxious after divorce is the loss of the relationship. You had to spend time with your ex, and even if it wasn’t on the best of terms, there was someone else in your life. It can be very helpful to seek out new friends or renew the ties of friendship with old friends that may have fallen by the wayside during your marriage.

Humans are social creatures, and it can be good to have someone by your side, even if it’s someone to go bowling with or enjoy a book club with. Getting involved with others can help you heal and move on with your life. Look for ways to connect with other people, such as going to your local church group or volunteering.

5. Seek Medical Help

Anxiety is not something you should feel ashamed of handling, even though there can be a stigma when it comes to people going through divorce and anxiety disorder issues. If it feels like you can’t handle it anymore or are seeing a difference in your quality of life, it can be beneficial to seek medical help.

A medical professional can help get you in touch with the tools that will work for you, be it trying out a new medication or learning about other therapy options available to you. Sometimes, it can take a few tries to find the right combination of things to combat your anxiety, so don’t give up hope if the first treatment isn’t successful. Keep with it.

Divorce can be one of the most stressful times you’l ever experience. It is often accompanied by a roller-coaster of negative feelings – such as depression or anger. These tips can help you beat anxiety after divorce and move on from the past into your future. 


Sara Anderson is the head of content for the EzCare clinic, a medical clinic that provides world-class health care services. She has been associated with the health care industry for 10+ years and specializes in health care and medical content. www.ezcareclinic.com

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