A family breakup is a difficult situation that most people, unfortunately, have to cope with. It could take a toll on you physically, but the real challenge is having to cope with it mentally. If you are reading this, then you may be going through tough times, and it is never easy dealing with a family breakup, but there are ways to do so mentally, such as the following:
1. Seek out support
Never keep the pain that you’re feeling to yourself. If you do, then the pain will likely turn into a psychological burden that can affect your performance in school or the workplace. Not having an outlet for your pain could feel as though it is slowly killing you inside, or worse, it could induce suicidal thoughts. Instead of bottling up your feelings, you can do the following:
- Talk to a trusted family member or friends. If you know you can talk about anything to someone you trust, it might help to talk about your family breakup. They may or may not know how it feels like, but they can listen to you and may even give you reassuring advice. What’s vital is to choose wisely whom to open up with the feelings you have about such breakup.
- Spend more time with people who energize, value, and support you. Not only choosing whom to confide in is vital, but select the people you have to go with. These people must not only be trusted but also those who won’t criticize or judge you when you’re talking about how you feel. When you feel free to show your feelings, you’re more likely to release the negative emotions brought about by the breakup. Moreover, you need to surround yourself with people who have a positive outlook and energy in life. If you do so, you may attract their optimism that will help you deal with your situation in a positive way.
- Consult a therapist or psychologist at Western Plains Psychology if you can’t reach out to other people easily. You may need a professional’s help to deal with this kind of breakup, especially when your feelings escalate to suicidal thoughts or depression.
2. Engage in hobbies or activities that would divert your focus
Sometimes, some people think that drinking or turning to drugs could help them forget or solve their problems like a family breakup. Doing so might let you forget your worries away, but what you feel is only temporary. In turn, it could only make things worse. If you keep on binge drinking, you may turn into an alcoholic, or become a drug addict, which can damage you hard physically, which also won’t do any good for your mental well-being.
Instead of using alcohol or drugs to cope, turn to sports or hobbies that will help not only to distract you from your family problem but also keep you productive as well. There are a lot of activities you can do out there, such as:
- Sports – Some sports like basketball, football, and others let you engage with a team, and helps you connect with people for a certain goal. While these are physical activities, they can also do wonders for your mental health as they increase your serotonin, which is responsible for lifting your mood.
- Read a Book -Reading books that reflect your situation can remind you that you’re not the only one going through such a problem. It’s an excellent activity to help you perceive yourself and your situation from another person’s point of view, especially if they’ve experienced the same thing. Try to read other types of books as well, like comedy or inspirational books, even romance. Books can open your mind to many things and help you understand the world around you.
- Play Board Games – From Monopoly to Scrabble, checkers to chess, and other great games, playing them can help you enhance your cognitive abilities. It enables you to think critically so you can plan a strategy to win. As a result, you can have better decision making skills necessary for your situation. Moreover, since board games are meant to be played with a group of people, it can help you cope with feelings of loneliness and isolation.
3. Make a Journal
Keeping a journal as an outlet for your thoughts can aid you in introspection and provide a better understanding of your situation. Aside from expressing yourself, a personal journal can bring out your creativity, which can be therapeutic. You can have a world where you can be free to be you. Moreover, having a journal doesn’t limit you to writing it down on paper as you can even create your website or blog. With your blog, you can reach out to people with the same situation, thus giving you the opportunity to help them, and yourself, get through it.
Conclusion
There is never an easy way of dealing with a family break up mentally. It takes time, effort, and adjustment to heal. Know that you’re not alone in this and that there’s always a chance, a hope for better things to come.
Mandy X
Photo by Victor Freitas on Unsplash
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
