Wow! What a challenging question to answer on Independence Day and yet what a great day to start on the road to more freedom. The challenge of divorce combined with a cocktail of meds might bring some moments of relief. However, your soul and spirit need healing and trusted friends after divorce. For many, going through divorce felt like grieving after the death of a loved one. Therefore, depending upon the severity of the events leading up to the divorce, you do need time to adjust.

Again, I will repeat this again as I do each time I am not a doctor. I am not a physician. Please seek a trusted physician as you need. I am a MA LSSP School Psychologist in two states of the USA. Your question, however, is something I can casually answer with the training and experience I have.

Keep in mind that the most recent version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual is version five DSMV. The DSMV references an adjustment period that all want and need after a difficult divorce.

Do your best to get plenty of hydration with water and rest. Surround yourself and others with friends and family that understand, that encourage you, that are faithful, and that care about virtue during that adjustment period. Also, physically tend to your body to soothe and heal with healthy food, hydration, moderate exercise, mild sunlight, and rest. Certain substances often wanted in the form of cravings after divorce can be unhealthy and could possibly contribute to some of those symptoms in stress after divorce. Some substances were reported to intensify the side effects of medication.

Read the labels of side effects again. Consider what you might do to help alleviate those side effects. I like knowing that you are doing well after divorce. It is difficult to answer your questions about whether or not the changes you experienced were from divorce stress. Some people who handled divorce well in the past still experienced stress. Therefore, if you keep tending to your body, mind, and soul, you can rule in or out certain factors.

Give yourself some time to heal, and consult with your doctor as needed. What a great way for you to be proactive.

That is partially a question for your psychiatrist as they can manage medication related issues. Im hoping with you are in therapy to help you through the divorce, which can be an incredibly stressful, prolonged event. Based on the information you provided, it is hard to glean what is causing your stress... yes the divorce, but there could be other variables.

Your symptoms may be related to the stress you understandably feel due to the divorce. Please ask your prescriber if these symptoms are better explained through side effects of medication or medication changes. Since you were not as anxious before the divorce and was stable on these medications, then that does pointto stress caused by the divorce being a possible explanation for the increase in anxiety, forgetfulness, etc. I recommend you talk to your prescriber and also look into behavioral strategies to regulate and reduce these symptoms, including things like progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, and breathwork. Amanda Edwards, Ph.D. Licensed Counseling Psychologist and Clinical Sports Psychologist Team Sports Psychologist for the Buffalo Sabres cell 850 2642011 Please note that I do not regularly check email during evenings and weekends. If you are in need of immediate assistance, please utilize the following resources Crisis Services of Erie County 716 8343131 National Suicide Hotline 1800273TALK 8255 National Crisis Text Line text HOME to 741741 Confidentiality Notice This email transmission may contain confidential or legally privileged information that is intended for the individual or entity named in the email address. Use of such information by any intended recipient shall be limited to the purpose for which such information was sent. Unauthorized use, disclosure, or copying is strictly prohibited. If you received this email transmission in error, please reply to the sender and delete the message. Thank you.

I cannot speak to the medication as I am a psychologist, we do not prescribe medications. Psychiatrists specialize in medications and prescribe psychiatric medication. I would say yes, your symptoms are likely due to divorce stress if the symptoms were managed prior and then started again or got worse with the divorce. Divorce is a significant event and can create significant stress, worry, anxiety, and insomnia...which can become overwhelming, exhausting, and lead people to become more emotionally fragile and reactive everything feels bigger and more intense. It would be a good idea to utilize your supports or seek therapy for support so you are not going through this alone.

Yes, they may be related. Divorce can be a very stressful event. People invest mentally, physically, emotionally, and materially in a relationship. There is an emotional trauma associated with divorce as it signifies the death of a relationship. The emotional trauma related to divorce can generate stress in the body. Chronic emotional stress will elevate cortisol, which is the body's stress hormone. Elevated cortisol can cause sleep problems, depression, anxiety, and tiredness. Prolonged stress can also cause weight gain and elevated blood sugar.

Your stress is very likely from your divorce. When people get divorced, it's like experiencing a death because someone you trusted is no longer going to have the same role in your life. Your medications may need to be adjusted by your doctor and talk therapy helps as well. Just remember that

Life can be hard. It can be joyful. How hard it is depends upon how brave we are. If we take care of the hard things, we recover. If we avoid feeling the feelings, crying and grieving and self-reflecting on our part, we will be deviled for our incompleteness. I am concerned you will become a drug addict and your inadvertent dealer will be your doctor. If you were my patient, I would want to see why your constitution fears feelings. I would guess that you learned to fear fear as a child. What happened then? When you were an infant, did your mother leave you every day to go to work? Do you have abandonment issues from way back? Or, rejection issues that you never processed. Do you have behaviors that cause you to choose relationships due to flattery, not character. Do you do things in a relationship to push people away. If you face your feelings and the lessons within, you should be able to gradually withdraw. The thing is, you are becoming addicted, and withdrawal will bring up exaggerated versions of those old feelings. Now you really have to be brave. Good luck. There's a pot of gold around the corner (if I can mix a metaphor). .

The best course of action is to consult with your psychiatrist and evaluate the present situation. If you were doing well right before your divorce and the symptoms appeared right at the time that the time that your divorce process started or after the divorce, you could ascribe the problem to divorce stress but a formal evaluation from your psychiatrist is the best way to proceed.

Hello Madam,

I am sorry that you are suffering so much and would, understandably, like to know the roots of your anxiety, forgetfulness and stress that is causing frustration. I am not able to advise you regarding medicine as I am not a psychiatrist. So, you need to bring up these issues with the person who is prescribing. Not knowing you, I am not able to speculate on where your symptoms are coming from. Are you seeing a licensed psychologist for psychotherapy? I would suggest you find one in your area. On stress inventory, divorce is one of the situations with high stress value. So, it is on social readjustment rating scale. There are many good books on market that are helpful in eliminating stress and anxieties. So you may also want to check them out and read the one you connect with. 

Take care and be safe, 

Dr. Lata Sonpal

Consider this link to see if you have been on target:
https://www.mydomaine.com/tips-for-dealing-with-divorce-stress-1102740
or:
https://www.galmichelawfirm.com/blog/2016/october/going-through-the-emotional-process-of-divorce/