During and after your divorce, you might struggle with trusting others. That’s perfectly normal, especially if you’ve been let down time and again by your ex. It’s a built-in self-defense mechanism that helps protect you from being hurt again.
However, difficulty trusting people can become a crippling issue that affects your everyday life.
If it does, it’s okay to reach out for help. Your Mississauga divorce lawyer can refer you to a local therapist who’s trained in working with people who have been through situations like yours. To do so will enable you to heal and begin your new life.
When Difficulty Turns into Inability
There’s a fine line between difficulty trusting others and an inability to do so. With the right guidance, most people become able to move past distrust and maintain healthy relationships. It’s time to ask your Mississauga divorce lawyer for a referral to a professional if:
- mistrust is interfering with your already-established relationships, possibly including family and long-time friends
- you’ve been through several stormy relationships in a row
- you experience intense fear or even terror during physical intimacy
- without evidence, you assume others are deceptive, potentially harmful or mean
- you completely lack emotional intimacy or friendships because you won’t let yourself get close to anyone
As you focus on how your difficulty trusting others is affecting your everyday life, consider your kids. Are they going through something similar? If your ex has let down or disappointed your children, particularly if he or she doesn’t show up for the visitation you agreed upon in your child custody agreement, they might be suffering from trust issues as well.
You can and will learn to trust others again, even if that doesn’t seem like a good idea right now because of what you’ve been through.
Learning to Trust Again
You have every right to experience life to the fullest, and that includes having close interpersonal relationships. Give yourself the space you deserve; if you’re not comfortable, don’t force yourself. Psychologists suggest taking small chances to keep yourself comfortable as you begin to trust again.
Talk to your Mississauga divorce lawyer to find out if there’s a qualified therapist nearby, particularly if you or your kids are experiencing difficulty working through trust issues on your own. Even if you’re not having a particularly tough time coping with trust issues, you and your children might benefit from seeing a therapist, and your Mississauga divorce lawyer can help point you in the right direction.
