The divorce process is an emotional journey whether it is amicable or not. Dealing with a spouse with a mental health disorder can complicate and intensify it even more. Recognizing the signs of mental health issues and preparing for what might happen during the divorce in Indiana is important, particularly when there are custody issues to resolve.
Recognizing the signs
Mental health disorders are often evident long before the divorce filing. Recognizing the signs can help you prepare for how to interact with your spouse during the process. Intense emotions, complicated relationships that go from extremely loving to extremely combative quickly, suicide threats and even attempts are signs that your spouse might be dealing with a mental health disorder. Additionally, your spouse might be prone to depression and anxiety which makes them reactive to situations out of their control. You might also have heard stories from your spouse about their past relationships with wild allegations and accusations about past partners that might bring you concern.
How to prepare for divorce
If your spouse has a mental health disorder, you will need to be careful about how you approach the divorce process. Some of the things you can do include:
- Gather a team of professionals, including a mental health therapist, to support you
- Document all your interactions and dealings with your spouse regarding the divorce process and the children
- Keep your interactions to a minimum and attempt to have them in public places or with neutral witnesses present
Mental health issues can push a hurt spouse to react emotionally and desperately, even making false accusations against you, which can result in lengthy and expensive legal proceedings. If this happens, you might have to follow orders of protection and other rules during the process. Ensuring you have collected evidence and witness statements to support your side can help obtain your desired outcome.