Your marriage isn’t getting the fairy tale ending you hoped for, and now you’re in the midst of a divorce. And to make matters worse, you and your soon-to-be-ex can’t agree on anything. You’re constantly fighting and trying to “win”, and neither of you wants to compromise. Divorce isn’t easy, and this type of high-conflict divorce can make things even harder for all involved.
When there is a great deal of conflict or animosity between spouses, their divorce can not only take a more significant emotional toll on the couple but also cause the divorce to drag on for longer. This article will discuss the signs of a high-conflict divorce and provide tips on making it through the divorce process.
Signs of a High-Conflict Divorce
Here are some signs that you may be facing a high-conflict divorce.
Deceit
If your spouse can’t be truthful, your divorce is likely to be a debacle. They are likely to lie about things throughout the divorce process. They will constantly manipulate the truth regarding agreements you may have made together, things that happened in the past, and even parenting.
This deceit will likely cause them to try to hide assets during your divorce. Not only will they fabricate the truth about what assets they own, but they may also try to conceal them. Therefore, everything they say during the divorce should be investigated thoroughly to determine if they are being truthful.
Someone Is Out for Revenge
When a marriage ends, hurt feelings are common. However, in most situations, the goal of both parties is to end the marriage and move on. In a high-conflict divorce, one spouse is out for revenge.
The spouse out for revenge is no longer acting rational or fair. They are solely looking to get revenge on their spouse. They want out of the marriage but want to inflict as much damage as possible on the other person first.
Undermining You in Front of Your Children
If you have children together, your spouse may try to convince your children that you don’t love them, don’t want them, or don’t care about them. They can do this outright or subtly, trying to drive a wedge between you and your children.
Constantly Bringing Up the Past
When your spouse constantly brings up the past, they are trying to place the blame on you for the divorce. They are doing this to make it look like you are entirely responsible for the divorce and to gain sympathy from others in an attempt to get a more favorable outcome in your divorce.
History of Mental Illness
If your spouse is one of the approximately 50 million Americans who experience mental illness, that may lead to more conflict in your divorce. A narcissist or someone with borderline personality disorders and other similar mental illnesses doesn’t believe the rules apply to them. They will be more focused on themselves than how their actions affect you.
Physical or Emotional Abuse
You should never take any type of abuse lightly. This is especially true during the divorce process. Your spouse may try to bully you into certain terms of the divorce that may not be in your favor.
The courts take abuse very seriously, and the judge may side with you in the divorce if there is a documented history of abuse. If you find that your spouse is bullying or abusing you, let your divorce attorney know immediately and call 911 if you feel like your life is in danger.
Tips to Navigate a High-Conflict Divorce
It’s challenging to find people who understand what you’re dealing with when you are in the middle of a high-conflict divorce. As a result, you may feel alone and isolated. Here are some things that can help during a difficult divorce.
Turn to Your Attorney
Your attorney should be your first call if you’re looking for guidance during a high-conflict divorce. They can help you understand what you can expect throughout the process and provide advice.
Your attorney is on your side, representing your best interest throughout the process. With a good attorney on your side, you’re never fighting through this process alone.
Set Boundaries
Setting boundaries and sticking to them can help reduce conflict in your divorce and keep things on track. You should consider limiting discussions to topics related to the divorce and keeping other topics, such as your personal life, off limits.
If you set boundaries and your spouse crosses them, try not to engage with them. Instead, simply remove yourself from the situation. This may be difficult, but it will get easier with time.
See a Therapist
Taking care of your emotional and mental health during a high-conflict divorce is essential. You may find that working with a therapist or a counselor can help you when you are going through a divorce. In addition, a therapist can be a great resource after your divorce as you begin to move on to the next portion of your life.
Let Attorney Hunter Fowler Help You Navigate Your High-Conflict Divorce
Going through a high-conflict divorce can be very stressful. But having an experienced divorce attorney on your side, fighting for you and keeping your best interests in the forefront can help minimize that stress.
Attorney Hunter Fowler can provide you with the guidance you need throughout the process and will continuously look for ways to benefit you as much as possible. Hunter will do whatever it takes to ensure your needs are heard and met at each hearing. When you work with Hunter Fowler, you can rest assured that he will use all legal means possible to ensure you get your desired results.
Contact us today for a consultation.