Divorce and Depression

It comes as no shock that Hollywood is riddled with divorce.

It is more likely than not that a celebrity couple will end up separating, however, they very rarely talk about the heartbreak associated with the event. Most people going through divorce experience some degree of situational depression as part of the normal grieving process over all the losses the end of the marriage brings.

Recently, Kelly Clarkson broke the mold when she opened up about her emotional roller coaster leading up to her divorce and subsequent depression thereafter.

As two working parents, life caught up with Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock. Clarkson had publicly alluded to the struggles that had come from being stuck in such close quarters for months and months. In the end, the living/working situation only put a spotlight on any existing problems they may have had and Clarkson decided to file for divorce from Blackstock.

Kelly Clarkson was an open book prior to her divorce filing. The 38-year-old singer and talk show host was interviewed about the topic on a previously taped episode of the British web series Glamour Unfiltered and dialed in via Zoom from her Montana cabin, where she and her family were quarantining early on in the coronavirus pandemic.

At the end of June, while interviewing Demi Lovato on her show, Kelly Clarkson again opened up and discussed how she suffered from depression.

For all involved, getting a divorce means losing your main source of support. Whether you’ve dealt with depression before or not, it’s a crucial time to prioritize your mental health. It’s important to point out that women aren’t the only ones who suffer from depression. Many men internalize the breakdown of a relationship because it is deemed as a sign of weakness or failure on their part.

Whether you are blind-sided by an unhappy spouse, or you’re relieved that your marriage and your relationship is finally coming to an end, you can expect to ride an emotional rollercoaster along the way.

Divorce challenges our self-worth and our identity. It changes our relationships with others, both in our inner and outer circles. In the end, you may feel crushed, or you may be excited to move forward to new adventures and new relationships. But make no mistake about it, you’re going to experience some unpleasant feelings.

A divorce is a form of loss, and while it is not exactly like the feelings you’ll experience if somebody actually passes away, the stages you go through will closely follow the same script.

At Yaffa Family Law Group, our team of attorneys recognizes the sensitive nature of family law matters. In addition to expert legal advice, you can count on empathy and support to get you through these tough times.

About the Author

Tamara Grossman is an attorney with eight years of courtroom experience in family law and other legal matters. Ms. Grossman has been a partner in a multistate litigation law firm and, most recently, was an attorney at a Boca Raton family law firm.