The Post-Divorce Fallout
Many recent divorcees, both men and women, report that they feel alone when they get a divorce. Of course, now that the spouse is gone, there is a lack of companionship. There is also another part of the isolation. Many divorced people report that they lose approximately 40 percent of their friends. What causes this phenomenon when it would be apparent that this is the time that you would need your friends the most?
The Stigma
A survey that was conducted showed that there is a stigma among young adults when it comes to divorce. This study showed that women who were divorced multiple times were thought to be immoral and even deviant. Studies show that this stigma does not really affect men. It seems that male divorcees are much more accepted.
The Chosen One
Many friends feel the need to polarize toward one spouse or the other. This is especially true if one married couple becomes friends with another married couple. Once the divorce happens, many people feel that associating with one spouse means that they are taking that spouse's side. Friends do not want to be caught in the divorce drama. Another concern is if they maintain close contact with one or both spouses, what happens when one spouse starts dating again? They are afraid of situations like both spouses being at an event but one showing up with a date. These are some of the messy situations that mutual friends are afraid may happen. It is unfortunate because when there are young children involved, their relationships with each other are often negatively affected.
It might Rub Off
Although it may seem like an unreasonable notion, many people feel that association with a divorced person will somehow contribute to the demise of their own relationships. In a culture where married women like to be friends with other married women, they may feel as if they no longer have anything in common with the now divorced friend. This is more common among females.
If you are facing divorce, you don’t have to face it alone. An experienced Geneva family law attorney can represent the needs of you and your family.
