There is no such thing as a perfect marriage. Couples will have their typical problems, and it will all boil down to how they handle each one. The lack of proper communication can and will erode that relationship bit by bit, until it eventually crumbles.
This was the seemingly inevitable scenario for this husband and wife, who began dealing with lingering financial issues. Their seemingly unsolvable difficulties blew up one day, prompting the woman to leave their 13-year union.
But after spending a few years apart, the woman suddenly began to feel strong waves of regret hit her to the point of near deterioration.
Divorces are often a rough time for a couple
Image credits: DC_Studio (not the actual photo)
For this husband and wife, their split was years in the making
Image credits: DC_Studio (not the actual photo)
The woman suddenly left, and it was a decision she began to deeply regret
Image credits: astrakanimages (not the actual photo)
She has since struggled to move forward and asked the internet for help
Image source: Wink-111
The emotional turmoil caused by divorce can sometimes leave people in a profound state of regret
Image credits: Kateryna Hliznitsova (not the actual photo)
The woman admitted to feeling overwhelmed and almost debilitated by the emotional struggles left by the divorce, compounded by the physical pain of her health issues. Her inability to deal with her new situation may have led her to feel deep regret.
“This is especially true with the emotions that overwhelm the person’s ability to cope,” licensed clinical psychologist Ann Gold Buscho wrote in an article for Psychology Today.
Divorces indicate a collapse in the relationship, which may evoke guilt in one or both parties. It’s for this reason that a person also feels regret after their marriage ends, even if it was a sound decision.
“People quite often have regrets about separation or experience a sense of failure, shame, sadness, a lot of ‘if only,’” relationship therapist Ammanda Major told The Guardian.
Statistics show that 27% of women and 32% of men found themselves wallowing in regret in the aftermath of their divorce. So, how do you move forward from this?
Buscho provided a few actionable tips in her article, and one of them was to focus on personal growth. She emphasized learning better ways to be in a romantic relationship, developing communication skills, and tools to cope during moments of disagreement.
Her most important piece of advice: give yourself time to move on. And if necessary, she advises seeking professional help, not only to learn from the past, but also to prepare for the future.
Therapy may indeed help the author assess the situation and have a deeper understanding of why she feels regret. A professional may guide her through appropriate avenues to address her emotions and the necessary steps to move forward.
Advice poured in from readers as the woman answered questions in the comments
