Infidelity And Divorce: What You Should Do
Infidelity is a leading cause of divorce. When you are hurt by the person who you trusted the most, you may instantly decide you no longer want to be married. However, take some time to think about your options before you move forward. Here are some things to think about before you file for divorce after infidelity.
Focus on Your Feelings
Before you do anything, take some time to focus on your feelings. Your goal should be on what you should do to keep yourself mentally and emotionally healthy. If ending your marriage is the best way to do that for yourself, divorce may be an option to think about.
Understand Your Emotions
Once you discover your spouse is not being faithful, you are going to have a wealth of emotions you have to process, including grief, sadness, or even disbelief. These are normal reactions to this situation, and it is important that you go through these emotions to help you heal and move forward.
This is not the time to make significant decisions about your life, including filing for divorce. You also need to avoid posting your thoughts on social media, as any negative words you share against your spouse could come back to haunt you during your divorce. Also, you may want to take some time away from work if that is possible. Alternatively, you may want to take some time to work on an activity you enjoy to help you heal emotionally.
Seek Professional Help
To help you deal with your emotions, you may also consider seeking help from a counselor. This process can help you gain insight into your next steps as you think about divorce. Throughout your counseling, you will look at the infidelity to help understand the reason behind it. This examination can help you decide if you want to stay in your marriage or move forward with a divorce.
Different factors surrounding the infidelity may help you make your decision. For example, was the infidelity a long-held secret or was it just one instance? Was your spouse caught being unfaithful or did they confess to you? Only you will know what you can deal with, but knowing the circumstances around the infidelity can help you with your thought process.
Call a Divorce Attorney
No matter what you think you may do regarding your marriage, it is a good idea to get a consultation with a divorce attorney right away. If you do choose to end your marriage, you will already have some insight as to how the process works. Be sure to ask about child custody, alimony, who gets to stay in the marital home, asset division, and anything else that pertains to your situation.
For more information about divorce, contact a divorce attorney in your area.
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