Research published today in the Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/sex/divorce/9987391/Loneliness-time-bomb-warning-fuelled-by-baby-boomer-divorces.html highlights the percentage of people in their 50’s and 60’s who are lonely and that divorce contributes to that statistic. Being married for 20 or 30 years and being unhappy for a large part of that, leaves someone in their 50’s or 60’s with a seemingly impossible choice. Stay married, with years stretching out ahead with the same frustrations and unhappiness, or take a chance at something different – maybe meeting someone else, or just being free to pursue life unencumbered. It can feel like the judgement of Solomon and takes a lot of courage to choose the separation route. Many people who come to our groups talk about how lonely they felt in their marriages. You don’t have to live on your own to feel lonely, you can be surrounded by people and still feel it. Perhaps one feels more lonely in a marriage where you might feel invisible and unappreciated. Loneliness can be a sad fact of life – and all sorts of people in all sorts of circumstances can feel lonely. Divorce is just one of those circumstances, and managed right, it is possible to move from being in a state of bereavement, loneliness and bewilderment, to leading a fulfilled life. www.divorcesupportgroup.co.uk/coping-with-separation.
