6 Life-Altering Psychological Effects of Divorce on Children
Divorces carry immense emotional baggage and therefore turn bitter because of lost love, unfilled expectations, and broken promises. There is no doubt that both spouses go through a lot and bear long-lasting psychological impacts.
But amid this chaos, it’s the children who suffer the most because they see their parents fighting tooth and nail in front of them at such a tender age. Parents often forget about talking to their children appropriately about this huge adjustment that they have to make.
Moreover, with divorce rates experiencing an unprecedented surge, more and more children are going through this ugly experience. Therefore, we have compiled here six life-altering psychological effects of divorce on children to make parents realize the gravity of their actions.
- Children experience chronic anxiety and stress:
Children start to develop chronic anxiety because they see their haven turn into a battleground. Their stress levels spike due to immense confusion as they find themselves unable to understand the whole process of divorce. This confusion also results in misplaced guilt as they start to blame themselves for the problems between their parents.
Moreover, do not forget about the stress associated with significant adjustments they would have to deal with, like living with one parent, switching between different homes, and the possibility of dealing with a step-parent.
2. Children experience behavioral issues:
The persisting anxiety throughout childhood turns to depression and starts to shape the behavior of children. It is reported by different studies that children of divorced parents experience more mood swings and irritable behavior than children of non-divorced parents.
This impulsive behavior is a direct result of confusion they develop during their childhood while observing the behavior of their parents with each other. They start to believe that this is how they are supposed to talk to their loved ones and others.
3. Children experience isolation:
Since not all of their friends have single parents, children of divorced parents lose relatability with others and find themselves socially isolated. Moreover, their impulsive behavior also pushes everyone away and therefore reinforces the vicious cycle of social isolation.
4. Children experience trust issues:
Another thing that reinforces their social isolation is the lack of trust they develop over the years. Their broken trust in parents and the idea of family disable them to trust others and form meaningful relationships.
5. Children lose academic rigor:
Plunging into depression results in a lack of focus which strangles the academic rigor in such children. Moreover, they also lose the drive to excel academically because they are no more interested in making their parents proud.
6. Children experience delinquent behaviors:
Children from broken families feel that they have nothing to lose, which makes them engage in unlawful activities. Such children are reported to engage in more delinquent behaviors like assaults, substance abuse, and premature sex as compared to those children who belong to intact families.
Therefore, if you happen to go through a divorce, prioritize your children because leaving them unattended will scar them for life. Moreover, employ a wise lawyer like the ones associated with Family Lawyers Newcastle group, because such lawyers will try to reach an amicable divorce that will shield your children from psychological dents.