We all experience heartbreak at some point in our lives. Irreconcilable differences between you and the person you truly care about can lead to the breakup of a romantic relationship, the end of a friendship with a friend, or anything else you can think of. It is possible to be heartbroken for a number of different reasons, but there are also many ways to get over it.
Because you give love, you’ll experience heartbreak and pain, but being in love is one of the greatest feelings in the world. A broken heart is the last thing anyone expects when entering into a relationship. As for the future, who knows? To be in love is to run the risk of being abandoned by the one you love. There can be feelings of anger, confusion, grief, loneliness, or sorrow.
The only thing you need to do is get up, keep going, and re-learn how to trust again. So, if you’re here because you’ve recently experienced heartbreak, congratulations! You’ve taken an important first step toward healing. These methods for mending a broken heart will assist you in both your emotional and mental well-being.
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Acknowledge your emotions
If you’re having trouble adjusting in these first few weeks, accepting how you’re feeling can be a helpful practise. An acceptance and commitment therapy strategy, this is based on the idea that allowing ourselves to feel how we feel without self-judgment can help us process something we are struggling with.
The goal is to concentrate your thoughts on a single, succinct sentence that expresses how you truly feel. “You are not alone in your feelings of sadness,” “You are not alone in your heartbreak,” or “It is okay to still love someone who is no longer with you.” Our feelings are not silly or harmful when we accept them as legitimate. If the person who rejected you is still on your mind, this can be a lifesaver.
Instead of trying to achieve anything, you can keep your attention on the here and now with this technique. Accepting your current situation can be helpful. As a form of meditation, you can begin each day by taking a few minutes to be kind to yourself and honest with yourself. When you’re alone, find a place where you can be alone for a few minutes and focus on a simple, real feeling that you can allow to sink in without judgement.
Grieving is natural
When you’re dealing with bad news, the temptation to ‘hold it together’ is strong. Grieving and crying can be helpful ways to release the pain you are experiencing.
Grief comes in waves. How often have you heard that? Even though you might not want to burst into tears while chairing a meeting or riding a crowded commuter bus, you are likely to feel so much worse if you try to keep this sadness inside. You can best deal with grief’s waves by letting yourself cry or being open about how terrible you are feeling. If you want to keep this from leaking out, you don’t want to try to hide it by pretending you’re fine whenever someone asks you how you’re doing.
Reach out for help, be honest about how bad you feel, and give yourself permission to take this seriously. Perhaps your inner voice is kinder than mine was during that time, but I know that I would frequently find myself battling a stiff-upper-lip mentality. Do what you need to do, but don’t hold back when it comes to expressing how you feel. When you need a friend, don’t hesitate to call or email them.
Go for workout
Various study results have showed that even light exercise like cleaning or gardening can help reduce psychological distress. You may know this, but it can be difficult to get out of bed and exercise when you’re feeling down and out. Initially, it may be tempting to curl up and hibernate, and you may find yourself lacking in motivation. At this point, there is no need to be hard on yourself or set yourself up for failure. Setting simple, attainable goals, such as going for a 10-minute walk every day, can make a difference. Starting small and gradually increasing the amount of exercise you do is the best way to get started. Your cortisol levels drop when you exercise and raise your heart rate, and this can help alleviate stress symptoms even if the decrease is only temporary.
Spend some time in nature
Medicine can be found in the natural world. Even though ‘forest bathing’ may seem like a new fad, it’s actually a long-standing practise in many cultures. Over the past 40 years, research in Japan has shown that walking through a forest can help alleviate depression, improve concentration, and even strengthen the immune system. Don’t worry if you don’t live near a Japanese forest. The endorphin and cortisol levels of people who walked in nature were found to be higher and the stress hormone cortisol was found to be lower in comparison to people who walked in cities. Walking in green spaces can lift our spirits, and endorphins – a chemical produced by the body that relieves stress and pain and can induce euphoria – are worth the detour away from busy streets and toward natural environments if we want to help our low moods improve.
Take a break and do something else
Distraction can be a useful tool in the aftermath of a breakup. Heartbroken men and women were put through a distraction test at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, as mentioned above. Instead of ruminating on the pain of their breakup, participants were instructed to actively divert their attention away from it by thinking about things other than it. The exercise had a positive effect on their emotions and moods, as evidenced by the higher wellbeing scores they achieved after utilising this technique. In this experiment, the focus was on diverting the mind from negative thoughts by directing it toward more positive ones. However, you can also divert your attention by engaging in an activity or watching a film. If you have a past relationship, don’t be afraid to think about it! It is not about burying or suppressing your feelings or suppressing memories, but rather redirecting your thoughts when something in your mind is repeating itself. If the thoughts of the other person and your relationship are getting to be too much for you, taking a break can be a good way to relax your mind.
Studies show that many people who have been heartbroken go on to suffer from depression as a result of the breakup. A low mood that can accompany loss can quickly escalate into something more serious if it becomes overwhelming. Stopping yourself from thinking about the breakup is the best way to deal with this.
Avoiding pain is not an option
Avoiding the pain is the worst thing you can do after a breakup. An unhealthy defence mechanism is suppression, in which a person tries to block or avoid heartache. No matter how hard it is, do not try to hide your emotions. To get over the heartbreak, you need to cry as much as possible as quickly as possible. When you think back to the good times, it can be painful. Some of your ex’s photos may bring tears to your eyes if you see them. The fact that you’re feeling this way is completely normal, and it’s not a sign of weakness at all. It’s a courageous step toward moving forward.
Ensure your own well-being
Taking care of yourself in the midst of heartbreak is essential, according to experts. An enjoyable phone call with a friend could be just the thing to get you through the day. In addition, low self-worth, coupled with feelings of rejection, can set off unhealthy behaviours such as bingeing or purging, which can then spiral into a downward spiral of depression. Getting enough exercise, eating healthfully, and getting enough sleep will all help you feel better.