When you announce or actually file for divorce, battle lines will be drawn.  That means that most people are going to take sides–or otherwise make their feelings known.  For example, you may have a mass exodus of “friends” on Facebook, even of those you never expected.

If nothing else, people sometimes seem to be fickle.  They can claim to be your friend, but divorce, like war, requires those involved to take a side.  The battle lines are drawn and they definitely do not want to be caught in the middle.

Although I didn’t experience it, some members of your spouse’s family may actually decide to stand with you.  Of course, that also would presume that they know why the divorce is coming about.  If your spouse has been telling people “I don’t know why he is divorcing me”, they are probably only angry with you (at least until the truth starts coming out).