Divorce Can Be Hurtful To Kids’ Mental And Physical Health
The hardest part of a divorce or break-up is kids if there are any involved. Pediatrician Jim Sears joined The Doctors to discuss the mental and physical harm done to kids while their parents go through a break-up or divorce. Dr. Sears said that a divorce can have profound effect on kids’ mental and physical health and each can affect the other. He said he has seen depression, anxiety, changes in sleep habits, bed wetting, stress and lack of nutrition in children of divorce, and all of those symptoms can weaken the immune system, resulting in kids getting sick much more frequently. He said kids will get sick 25-30 percent more frequently if their parents are going through a divorce. He also mentioned that in teenagers, there is a four times greater chance of teenagers abusing drugs and alcohol if their parents are going through a divorce.
Work Together To Avoid Conflict During Divorce For Kids’ Sake
The Doctors discuss how a divorce can affect kids’ health.
Although divorce can affect children’s health, if the relationship is not working, it is okay to get a divorce, but try to stay civil while doing so. If the relationship was bad, divorcing will probably allow the kids to be better off in the long-run, not having to hear their parents fighting or watch a loveless marriage. Dr. Sears said that high levels of conflict during and after a divorce signals worsening health in the kids, so try to work out disagreements or issues with civility and togetherness for the kids. He said sometimes divorcing couples put the kids in the middle and he said that is selfish parenting. You always want to think of the kids first and what is best for the kids. Dr. Sears said that no matter how painful going through a divorce is, it is ten times more painful to watch kids go through it.
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