Articles abound on the internet expounding upon why people divorce, deal with the pain, and learn to date again. However, understanding what children experience and helping them through the situation is a fairly new psychological phenomenon. One of the biggest problems children deal with after their parent’s divorce is their mental health. Here are four issues to look for.

1. Image

Depending on the child’s age, the children may associate their self-image with the breakup, which often means they blame themselves and begin to identify as disruptive. This can lead to sexual promiscuity, self-harming, or even suicide attempts. This is especially true if they were once part of an affluent family that moves into poverty.

2. Education

Many studies have been done about the academic difficulties children have after a divorce. However, while these studies look at the dropout rates and low grades, they seldom search for the underlying reasons. The deep pain, loss of a parent, and self-isolation are only part of the problem. Family instability often works to tear into the fragile psychology of the child’s mental health.

3. Parenting

When there is a contested divorce Fairfax VA, dual parenting can often become impossible as emotions between the adult’s rage. The risk factors for children that are associated with mental problems as the rage spreads cannot be understated. Association of emotions guarantees the children will be drawn into the parent’s conflict, and dual parenting will become impossible. This ensures the children will suffer from mental health issues.

4. Behaviors

Although it is unknown exactly why, children often revert in age and behavior during and after a divorce. Bedwetting, hitting, lying, sexual promiscuousness, and other negative forms of behavior can become the norm. Some children outgrow the issues, while others will require extensive psychological help to overcome the negative behaviors.

Divorce is a family affair, and the effects it has on children should never be overlooked. Help them deal with their mental health problems before disruptive behavior takes over their lives.