Divorce is a personal family matter. Therefore, the worries and discussions often revolve around how the end of the marriage will impact your family members, from the children to the former in-laws.
Due to this, one topic that often goes overlooked is how a divorce can affect friendships. While there may not necessarily be legal impacts, what effects could a divorce have on your personal life and other relationships you treasure?
Are they caught in the middle?
Your relationships with your friends are all unique. Some bonds might become stronger, as your trusted friends support you through this difficult time.
However, what if you and your spouse had mutual friends? In these cases, a divorce can create stress for those people you both call friends. AARP took a look at this perspective in 2020, highlighting how it was a challenge for friends to support both spouses as they separated. Common reactions from mutual friends can include:
- Feeling they must choose a side
- Growing distant in an attempt to remain neutral
- Withdrawing from both spouses entirely
Unfortunately, it is a sad reality that some friendships may fade in the face of one friend’s divorce, whether or not you shared those friends with your spouse. On top of the emotional stress you experience during the end of your marriage, the end of a friendship can be gut-wrenching.
You can only control your own actions and reactions, and not those of your friends. People change. So do relationships. That is natural. Even so, that does not make change easier to handle. This is yet another reason why it is so important to take steps to care for your mental health.
Another important step to take
Usually, you might share all the “dirty details” of your stories with your friends. During the process of your divorce, it is a good idea to avoid doing this. Keep the matters of your divorce private.
This is not for the sake of your friends – but for yours. Maintaining your privacy is a measure to protect yourself as you negotiate the terms of your divorce. Avoid sharing the details in person, just as you would avoid posting information about it on social media. Remember: Anything you share can potentially come back to affect you during the process of your North Carolina divorce.
It is possible that a divorce might have an impact on your friendships – in fact, it could be a catalyst for change in many relationships. Facing this change, you can only focus on doing what is best for you.