When you think about how divorce changes a woman, most people assume that women reach the dead end of their lives. Society often shames divorced women for reasons she’s not even responsible for.
So, divorce is definitely an emotionally and financially tough phase for women.
But that’s not all!
Women undergo some positive changes as well. So, if you’re curious about it, let’s get started!
20 Ways How Divorce Changes a Woman
Usually, the most common change that a woman goes through after a divorce is emotional suppression. This usually manifests in not talking much or sharing how it feels after the divorce. It comes from the fear of judgment of what people will say.
But there’s a lot more to uncover, so let’s dive in to know more.
1. She loses interest
A divorced woman loses interest across all walks of life. It is common that she will neither like to pursue her hobbies nor spend time with others.
If the loss of interest persists over more than two weeks, she must seek professional help.
2. She fears relationships
After a failed marriage, the most common change in a woman is a completely distorted idea of relationships. The obvious notion is that nothing will ever work out, and no man is good enough for her.
This fear of relationships can develop into a pathological fear and does not go away easily.
3. She undergoes financial instability
For most women, the financial situation changes after a divorce. Some women do not have any financial standing, which makes them prone to debt.
Sometimes, taking care of the children can also be financially exhausting, so it takes time to build that stability.
Society passes many opinions about a woman after a divorce. This changes her interaction pattern. She is more skeptical about people’s opinions and does not engage with people easily.
Social withdrawal is sometimes brief. However, it becomes a behavioral pattern for some women. They end up with changed personalities.
5. She follows her passion
Divorce does not always negatively change a woman. For some, coming out of a toxic relationship can also have positive implications.
After a divorce, some women develop a renewed vigor towards life.
Simply, the idea that they do not have to serve anyone else and can focus on themselves finally ignites that passion for life
They can also develop professional stability.
6. She gets burdened with more responsibilities
After divorce, a woman with children usually starts living alone with her kids.
While some have the support of parents, others do not.
In such cases, every duty has to be carried out alone. Whether it’s getting the groceries or transporting the kids to and from school, the woman has to shoulder it all now.
7. It makes her independent
A woman becomes more independent and starts taking things in her control after divorce.
Possibly before the divorce, she completely depended on her husband for everything. But after the divorce, she learns to take care of things by herself and becomes independent.
Moreover, she does not have to seek permission from her husband or in-laws about how she should lead her life.
8. She becomes open to new experiences
A woman is more likely to seek out new experiences after a divorce. She is more susceptible to making new friends or even trying things that appeal to her.
9. She adopts her preferred way of parenting
When a woman lives with her husband and in-laws, there are many guidelines about how she should care for kids or what parenting should be like.
But this completely changes after divorce.
There is no one to direct her about her parenting style, which is a big relief for many mothers.
Some mothers are tired of getting schooled about how to raise their kids. So, now they can raise them the way they want to.
10. She can look for the right partner
In most cases, a divorce happens because the couple was not the right fit. After divorce, the woman may meet someone who will change her life for the better.
There have been numerous instances when, after a divorce, women have found their partner or their soulmate.
When they get someone who treats them right, their perception of the world changes completely.
11. She indulges in risky behavior
Sometimes, divorce impacts the growth of the woman so much that she completely changes and indulges in risky behavior.
This could range from behaviors like drinking, drug abuse, smoking, or even sex with unknown people. This change is usually noticed if the divorce is rough and the woman is innocent.
12. Her mental health is deteriorated
A woman’s mental health can deteriorate drastically, which usually happens right after the divorce. In some cases, there are signs of anxiety and depression.
However, if the divorce is extremely nasty and involves cheating or physical and emotional abuse, then the woman can develop signs of post-traumatic stress disorder.
13. Her physical health is also impacted
It is very common to think that only men have declining physical health after a divorce. This is untrue because even women have deteriorating health conditions, including heart conditions that worsen with time.
A common reason behind this is that the woman was financially dependent on her husband.
After the divorce, she has to get her own job and take care of the kids. Thus, it gets difficult for the woman to balance all the other things and yet take good care of herself.
14. She feels guilty
The stages of divorce are extremely stressful. During the divorce, a woman does not have much time for introspection.
However, the aftermath of the divorce comes with a complete behavior change, and the woman starts having self-doubt and guilt. This happens more if the relationship has children involved.
Often, the woman feels that she was the reason the relationship fell apart. There is also guilt that the children were forced to stay in a broken family and could not stay with their dad because of her.
Despite the reason behind the divorce, feelings of self-doubt and guilt are irrevocable.
15. She feels an identity crisis
It is highly possible that a woman, after divorce, goes through a sense of identity crisis.
This can be because, till now, she was someone’s wife or daughter-in-law. After the divorce, there are no such roles to play.
It takes much time to move past this identity crisis phase and build her own identity.
16. There are changes in sex life
The most common change faced by almost all divorced women, yet seldom spoken about, is changes in sex life.
A divorced woman’s sex life reaches a complete standstill because she does not want to indulge in physical intimacy so soon.
Alternatively, there is a possibility that she may become more open to new sexual experiences.
This change in sex life is sometimes quite fun, especially if she was stuck in a meaningless marriage. It adds spice to her life.
17. She can dedicate more time to herself
After the divorce, a woman will have more time because she does not have to care for their husband and his needs. Whether cooking for him or even folding his clothes – all the tasks are over.
She will be able to focus on herself and develop finally. The best part about this thing is that she will not have to give anyone an explanation about what she does or how she makes use of time.
18. She becomes focused
When a woman is in a marriage that doesn’t nourish her, it is obvious that she loses focus. After all, she needs to pay attention to many things. It not only involves her husband but even her in-laws.
However, after the divorce, this completely changes. She develops a better focus because she’s free from all responsibilities. This focus can easily be put to good use.
19. She turns skeptical towards the world
After the divorce, it is common that a woman’s perception of the world will completely change. She will often be skeptical about the world and the people around her. This happens because she finally understands that nothing and no one is permanent.
20. She knows herself better
From a divorce, a woman learns about her boundaries. She knows what is negotiable and what is not. She learns that it’s not right to solely focus on a marriage and prioritizes social connections.
She learns several lessons in diverse areas, which help her thrive eventually!
A word from ThePleasantRelationship
A divorce takes a major toll on a woman’s overall health. She feels undesirable and lost. She might even feel that her entire marriage was a lie or that she ruined her life with the marriage. Not many women can cope with this easily.
So, if you know a female divorcee, make sure she gives herself time and gets enough support. If necessary, motivate her to seek professional help.
