Divorce is a very stressful and complex event for adults, not to mention its effects on children, so when considering ending a marriage, some parents find themselves asking questions like, “Should we stay together for the sake of the kids?” But what if divorce is the only option? At that time, divorce makes a huge change in the lives of children, regardless of their age. It is not easy to lose family warmth, and to adjust between two different families. All these circumstances create challenges that are difficult to live with, and affect the psychological structure of the child. “The Seventh Day” reviews the psychological impact resulting from Divorce among children, according to Mohamed Mustafa, a clinical psychologist.

The first year is the hardest

Studies show that children suffer more than others during the first year or two after divorce, and children are likely to suffer from distress, anger, and anxiety, but many children seem to be recovering, so we find that they have become accustomed to changes in their daily routine, and yet it does not seem that Some of them get used to the normal situation, and we find them facing continuous problems – and perhaps they will last for life – after the divorce of their parents.

Suffering from separation anxiety

Although separation anxiety is common among newborns, when the mother is away from her hand, and the child begins to cry, until his mother comes to him and clings to her, and this disorder resolves before the child reaches the age of one and a half years, but this disorder may appear in older children. In cases of divorce, when the child finds one of his parents not with him.

Isolation is the solution for them

Many parents notice changes in the child’s behavior after divorce, in the sense that the child is social, practicing his favorite identities, but after divorce he becomes shy and withdrawn, indifferent to what happens around him, not interested in his hobby that he loves, all as a result of a feeling of stigma, and the resulting low self-image. about divorce.

They struggle with their depression

The path leading to depression is represented by fear, despair, and isolation, and this is evident in the case of a child who suffered from the separation of his parents, as he has a fear of loss and separation, he loses hope in the return of life as it was, and he gradually withdraws from social activities, which leads him to depression, Few of those aged eleven years and over – especially males – threatened or attempted suicide.

Children feel angry

Children often feel very angry when divorce occurs, due to the changes that occur in their world, and although this condition is not related to a specific age, it abounds during adolescence, and the anger is directed at others – externally – where one or both parents are blamed for What happened to the family, or the anger is self-directed (internal) as he blames himself for his parents’ divorce.

Poor academic performance

Children in families where separation occurs do not always perform well in school, especially if the divorce occurred suddenly, in addition to the fact that these children are more likely to drop out of education than their peers, and the problems of poor academic achievement appear in the age period that falls between (13-13). 18) years old, and there are several possible reasons for poor academic performance, including: the child’s feeling of neglect, or it is due to a weakness in attention, which is a result of the increasing conflicts between the parents.

Engage in risky activities

Familial disintegration increases the chance of children falling into risky behaviors such as dependence on alcohol and psychoactive substances (drugs), and aggressive behavior for males..

Yesterday’s struggles are the nightmare of the present

The psychological effects resulting from divorce are not at the level of the child’s present, but it may be a nightmare that haunts him in his future. Studies indicate that when parents divorce, there is a chance that their children will end up in the same situation, and the reason here is that the division between the parents may change the child’s attitude towards relationships in a significant way. General (especially in the case of violence and conflicts between parents), which makes the child, when he grows up, less enthusiastic about entering into long-term relationships.

Psychological damage to children from divorce

Psychological damage to children