Crazy Time: Surviving Divorce and Building a New Life, Revised Edition

I bought this book at a low point in the divorce process, wondering if I would ever stop feeling depressed and angry, and thinking I was somehow a bad person for having those feelings. Imagine my surprise when I turned the pages of the book to find that I was NORMAL for feeling angry and depressed! Giving validation for my feelings, and taking ownership of them, gave me what I needed to master them and move on, standing up for what I needed in the divorce process and giving myself permission to cry sometimes. This book helped me become stronger and showed me that there can be a brighter future after divorce. I highly recommend this for anyone going through a divorce, especially those in "crazy time" whose feelings are not being validated. Divorce is the death of a dream, maybe in some ways worse than the loss of a loved one through a natural death, and it is okay to grieve. This book can help people cope with that loss, learn from it, and move on to a better life.

I've read at least 10 books on separation, divorce, etc. Now at six months into my separation, I'm feeling "crazier" than ever. When I picked up this book, I knew it was exactly what I needed. It has helped me realize the normal processes I'm going through. If you only read one book on divorce recovery, this should be it!

I read this book about a year after my divorce and it was like watching a bright sun rise over a dark horizon. Abigail Trafford helps you realize that you are NOT crazy about the way you feel (no matter what that is) and that there can be a better "life after divorce".Since reading this book the first time 4 years ago, I have given it to 10 people and have recommended it to many more. It's been helpful to both my male and female friends. The best and most meaningful book on the market to help you live through a painful experience.

This book was a tremendous help to me when I was going through an extremely difficult time and feeling crazy. It made me understand that everyone who goes through this experience will have some of the same issues to deal with. It helped me to understand how to deal with judgmental people who are ready to riducule you if you are the one who has ended the marriage and the vicious rumors that we all encounter. It also helped me deal with the fact that you do lose friends and it helped me realize true friends versus acquaintances. It has been over a year and I still rely on this book. This is a wonderful book who puts divorce in proper perspective and gives you a calming feeling knowing that the CRAZY TIME you are going through is normal.

Ms. Trafford starts from the premise that in any unhappy marriage, the spouses are trapped in an unequal relationship. One is dominant and the other is submissive. If they cannot figure out how to escape from that imbalance, then they are deadlocked. I realized that not only was my marriage deadlocked, but my divorce negotiations were deadlocked as well. The same issues that made my marriage so insufferable were stopping me from consummating my divorce. This book has case histories that exemplify the lucid discussions about divorce. They explain how "crazy time" took hold of my life. I felt that Ms. Trafford was talking directly to me. She helped me to get out of my deadlock and into the resolution phase of my personal tragedy. I recommend this book to anyone who is trying to understand divorce.