Not all people who get divorced react the same. There are several acceptable - but not necessarily healthy – ways to respond to divorce. You should get an idea of some of the most common reactions, and decide if you have displayed any of this behavior during divorce.

People in denial think the divorce will never actually happen, even after their spouse tells them they want out of the marriage. They think some counseling or simply some extra TLC will stop the divorce, which is why they do not hire a lawyer or tell anyone what is going on. Meanwhile, their spouse is way ahead of them, having already hired a lawyer and on their way to moving out.

Some people take divorce harder than others, and they end up blaming it all on their spouse. They might cry, scream, and complain to anyone within earshot. While grieving is a normal part of the process, these people are more dramatic than most, and may whine to anyone who will listen, not just their friends and family. Sometimes this attitude seems warranted, such as after domestic violence or infidelity, but it can be hard for others to put up with for long.

On the other side of the coin, there are those who accept the divorce a little too quickly. They try to be practical about things, and do not show any emotion throughout the process. Not only does the complete lack of feelings make people uncomfortable, but it can also lead to an unexpected blowup of emotion once the divorce is complete. Such people are not dealing with the divorce while it is going on, and all the feelings are bottled up until they are completely alone. Unless these people have simply seen the divorce coming for years, and therefore had time to come to terms with it, this kind of response is not healthy.

This person is usually the one who initiated the divorce. Once the process is underway, people like this often act like they won a game and have gotten their desired ending. However, even when it seems like everything is going right for them, there are probably some emotions they are not dealing with. If they were, they would likely not be quite so happy since most people feel some amount of pain when ending a long relationship. It is normal to at least reminisce about happier times in your house as you pack your bags, and long for the better times in your marriage.