In 2022 I was facing a divorce that I didn’t want. I was dead set on fixing something that my wife had no interest in doing. It was by far the hardest struggle I’ve had in my adult life. I had a relatively quick divorce at around 8 months from having the news broke to the final documents being signed. It felt like 4 years.

I remember going to get a coffee on my breaks every day at work, and reading this subreddit’s posts to commiserate and understand the best path forward. I would spend an hour plus on my 15 minute breaks because I just didn’t care anymore about my job or anything else really. I thought I was a dead man, sadly through my own or someone else’s actions. I had given up on my life and no one I worked with or talked with every day wanted to darken their day by listening to me. This subreddit gave me hope at the best and a feeling of mutual understanding at the worst.

Reading other men’s stories and going to therapy weekly are the only two reasons I made it out alive, I am sure of that. PLEASE prioritize your mental health and find a therapist if it’s at all possible, while going through a divorce. It’s such a huge part of why I am SO glad I made it through, and have found the path I was always supposed to be on.

Looking back now I can see that while married I was convinced it was something wonderful, but that I was really just coping. Now I am doing all of the things in my life I always had the potential to, but was held back by being married to the wrong person. My job, relationships, family, fitness and every aspect of my life now is something I never thought could be as good as it is now.

I know I’m oversimplifying the ordeal, I know I’m leaving out so many details, I know everyone’s cases are different, I know mine was fast and I was privileged at having access to a therapist. I just want to give hope to any one person who thinks their life will never have the potential to get better.

Please DM me if you want to talk or have anything to say or ask to someone who’s been through something similar to you. How powerful having any type of fellowship with others enduring similar struggles cannot be overstated. We HAVE to lean on each other.