How Can You Maintain Your Sanity When a Divorce Drags On For Years?

A lot can happen in seven years — except, apparently, if you're Bethenny Frankel, and you want to move on from your ex.

On the latest episode of The Real Housewives of New York City, the Skinnygirl mogul was feeling the stress of the constant battle, which currently has to do with custody issues (clip above). Major stress like that can take a toll mentally and even physically.

Dr. Elizabeth Lasky, Ph.D., LCSW, tells Personal Space she feels for the mom of one. "The stress from a divorce can be earth-shattering. Going through the legal battles and emotional sparring that a divorce causes can wreak havoc on the strongest of people," she says.

And just like Bethenny said, it's hard to go through something like this alone. "People who are getting a divorce need a very strong social support around them. Family, friends, and professional help can become very important," Lasky says. "Self-care (emotional, physical, and spiritual) should be paramount for anyone going through a major life change like that. One of the hardest things about divorce for some people is that they have entered the marriage with hope and a commitment to a long-lasting marriage. Once this marriage is broken, hopelessness, sadness, and depression may set in."

Lasky added, "Those who get divorced rarely are just divorcing a person. They are separating from families, children, businesses, income, routines, and habits. Going from a partnership to handling everything on your own can feel isolating, overwhelming, and lonely."

Divorces that drag on are rarely about legalities and are more about emotions. One partner tends to be hurt and is so used to the chaos, they want to keep it going.

Here are over 50 tips for remaining sane throughout the process — even if it's taking nearly a decade.