If you are like most people in Pennsylvania, you are well aware of the fact that getting divorced can sting financially. The mere reality that you and your spouse must split your marital assets alone makes that very evident. Add to that the fact that you must support two separate households on what you previously supported one household with and the financial challenges associated with a divorce only grow.
According to U.S. News and World Report, it is not only your finances that can be affected when you get divorced, especially if you are older than 50. Your health may also suffer when you get divorced and this might only exacerbate other problems for you.
Divorcing persons have a higher rate of depression, anxiety or chronic stress. These conditions, in turn, can increase a person’s chance of developing Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, Parkinson’s disease, obesity and more. They may also reduce a person’s immune system which then makes them more susceptible to other illnesses because their body can not effectively fight off infections. Being aware of these risks when you and your spouse embark on getting divorced is very important and may help you to be more conscious about how you take care of yourself on a daily basis.
This information is not intended to provide legal advice but is instead meant to give people in Pennsylvania an idea of how getting divorce might impact their health, especially if they are over the age of 50 when their marriage ends.