Losing relationships: The impact of divorce on family

On Behalf of | Dec 13, 2017 | Family Law |

After a divorce, you sometimes lose more than just your spouse. When you were married, you had relationships with your spouse’s parents, siblings, friends and others. When you go through a separation, those relationships could come to an end.

In many cases, people are fine with those relationships falling away. They may not get along with their in-laws or dislike their spouse’s family members. In those situations, the divorce is a blessing in some ways. For those who have good relationships with others involved, this isn’t always good news, though. Sometimes, family members feel they have to choose sides, and choosing sides means picking the person they’re related to.

It can also be painful to lose those relationships so suddenly. For many individuals, it’s not a slow loss that happens over time. Instead, the relationships are cut off almost instantaneously. Parents no longer think they have a right or no longer want to speak to the other spouse. Family members feel uncomfortable reaching out. Long gone are the days where everyone could speak freely to one another.

If you get a divorce, prepare yourself for the emotional loss of these other individuals. There may not be anything you can do to prevent them from siding with your spouse. Try to maintain a positive outlook; if you and your spouse do end your relationship on good terms, there may be a way to reconcile those relationships in the future. In the meantime, it’s better to focus on your divorce and what you can do to get through it with as little stress as possible.

Source: Huffington Post, “Did Your In-Laws Dump You After Divorce?,” Jackie Pilossoph, accessed Dec. 13, 2017

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