Most children whose families are going through a divorce feel some level of anxiety, anger and depression. Knowing when this is just a normal response on the part of your child or when you need to seek some outside help may make all the difference. Duration and intensity of the emotions are both important things for you to consider. If after a few months these emotions have not begun to lessen, it may be time to seek some professional help. Do not become alarmed if your child's emotions are intensifying because it may be due to other factors in their life like puberty. Better safe than sorry has always been my motto with regard to my own children, and I don't know anyone who wouldn't benefit from talking to an unbiased individual about what is bothering them.
Some specific things that you can be watching for that suggest that your child needs some professional help to deal with the changes that the divorce is making to their lives: talk of suicide, change in sleeping pattern, getting in to trouble at school, dropping grades, alcohol or drug use, withdrawal from loved ones or loved activities, violent outbursts, or self-injurious behaviors like cutting or thrill seeking.
It is important to remember that seeking some outside help for your child does not mean that you have failed as a parent, quite the opposite. A good parent provides their child with the things that they need to maintain a healthy, happy life.
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