In many cases, people will report an increase in happiness after they end their marriage. This is important to note for those who are considering a divorce. They may be worried that it won’t be worth it, and going through a divorce can indeed be emotionally difficult, but this shows that the end result may still be thoroughly positive.
Why are people happier when they get divorced? That depends on the specifics of each case, of course. If someone has been in an emotionally abusive marriage and they finally have the chance to leave it, for example, it’s understandable why they would be much happier on their own. Below are a few other reasons that researchers have identified.
Focusing on themselves
One potential reason is that getting divorced gives people time to focus on themselves. What do they want in life? What makes them happy? Many people use this as a time to travel, take up new hobbies, make new friends and do other things of this nature.
Similarly, many people will focus on their physical and emotional well-being. Maybe they’ll start going back to the gym, or perhaps they will take classes at a local university. They’ll find some way to work at improving themselves, which makes them feel very good and positive about the future. Physical improvements can also make people feel stronger emotionally.
Finally, researchers note that self-reflection is common after divorce. Perhaps the marriage was distracting the person from who they really wanted to be or what they really wanted to accomplish. A divorce gives them time to consider these things carefully and plan their future.
The legal side
Those who are going through a divorce definitely need to consider all of their legal options. This can help them to focus on the steps they need to take to create the future happiness that they seek.