Divorce often has serious ramifications for couples who have young children who must then consider ways to co-parent and decide custody matters, but what happens when the divorcing couple is reaching retirement age?
Forbes reports that 25 percent of older couples are ending their marriages and that percentage continues to rise. If you are experiencing a grey divorce, you may want to understand the unique impact it can have on your mental health.
New or worsening depression
If your spouse requested the divorce and has moved out, you may find yourself alone for the first time since you married forty or fifty years previously. This isolation, which can be significant if you have no grown children or close family to support you, may lead to depression or worsen any kind of mental illness you suffer from currently. Therapy could ease these feelings, and as you move forward with your divorce, set reminders to take any medications prescribed to you so that you maintain a healthy mental state.
Increased stress
Divorce is often listed as one of the most stressful events an individual can endure, and if you are approaching or have reached retirement age, this can cause considerable problems for both mind and body. Most feelings of stress during a divorce usually stem from financial worries, such as whether you will lose your home or vehicle in the divorce decree. Working with an attorney may keep stress to a minimum as you complete the process.
Grey divorce can have a tremendous impact on your retirement years. Caring for your mental health during the proceedings may help you avoid long-term repercussions later on.
