Breakups are one of the most painful experiences you can go through. Whether the breakup was unexpected or long anticipated, it is almost always painful. Philosophie Therapy provides online therapy for after a breakup to Florida residents. This article reviews the emotional impacts of breakups and provides therapist-approved resources to help you start your healing journey. The following topics are covered in this article:
Emotional Impacts of a Breakup
The emotional impact of a breakup can very closely resemble the grieving process someone experiences when a loved one dies. Although the person is still alive, the connection you had to them is dead, and there is grief that follows. Some of the most common post-breakup symptoms are:
Hopelessness: You likely envisioned a future with the person you just broke up with. When the relationship ends, your vision of your future can feel like it was ripped away, leading to feelings of hopelessness.
Insecurity: It is very common to find a sense of security and a positive sense of self in the comfort of a relationship. Therefore, it is easy to feel insecure when the relationship ends.
Fatigue or Insomnia: After a breakup, your brain is working overtime to process all of the emotions you are experiencing. This experience can lead to a desire to sleep all the time or a struggle to fall asleep due to racing thoughts and emotions.
Desire to Isolate: The one person you want to talk to is no longer available, making the idea of speaking to anyone else feel like a chore.
Overeating or Undereating: Emotions can influence our appetite. It is common for some people to experience an increase in appetite, leading to overeating. On the other hand, some people may feel too overwhelmed to eat, leading to undereating.
Forgetfulness: Grieving the loss of a relationship can lead to mental fog and forgetfulness. Although this is temporary, it can feel very frustrating.
Feeling of Impending Doom: Feeling anxious or experiencing a sense of impending doom after a breakup is also very common and can be debilitating in the days and weeks following a breakup.
This list is not comprehensive of everything people experience after a breakup. Other common symptoms include depression, irritability, and panic attacks. Whatever you are experiencing, know that breakups are tough, and so are the emotions that follow them. The only way to make them disappear is to feel them and care for yourself. The mental health support you need will vary depending on what your symptoms are and how severely they are impacting your life. Keep reading to learn more.
How to Help Yourself After a Breakup
When dealing with a breakup, you must first ensure your basic needs are met. From there, you can begin to identify your emotions and process them with someone you trust. Eventually, you will find that you are ready to engage in things that make you happy, apart from your past relationship. To learn more about how to work through each of these phases, you can find more details in the sections below.
Care for Your Physical Needs
Sometimes, the emotional toll of a breakup can be so difficult it can lead to suicidal thoughts. If you or someone you know is battling thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please call 911 for life-threatening emergencies or contact the National Suicide and Crisis Prevention Lifeline by calling or texting 988 to be connected with a crisis counselor.
If you are safe and able to care for your basic needs, then be as kind to yourself as possible after a breakup. In the days following a breakup, we often encourage clients to care for themselves in the same way they would if they were physically sick:
Make your environment as comfortable as possible (wear comfortable clothing, keep your favorite blanket or stuffed animal close, watch your favorite TV shows, etc.).
Buy food that you enjoy and makes you feel good.
Keep up with basic hygiene (showers, brushing your teeth, taking out your garbage, etc.). Ignoring these tasks will only make you feel worse in the long run.
Get as much sleep as you need.
Try to see the sun at least once a day, even if it's through a window. Keeping all the blinds closed and the lights off can be disorienting and worsen your symptoms.
Identify Your Emotions
Once you are safe and your basic needs have been met, you can begin to give language to what you are experiencing. We encourage clients to begin to journal about their thoughts and emotions during this phase. The more you understand what you are experiencing, the more control you have over it.
Talk to Someone You Trust
After your basic needs have been met and you have a rough understanding of what you are feeling, reach out to a trusted friend or family member (NOT YOUR EX) and start talking about your feelings. At first, it may begin with simply crying while someone you trust is nearby, ready, and willing to support you in any way they can. Don't have a trusted family member or friend? You are not alone. Skip here to learn how therapy for after a breakup can help. As you talk about your experience, you should begin to feel less overwhelmed. Slowly but steadily, the emotional pain should lessen, and you should begin to feel ever so slightly hopeful about the future.
Find Things That Bring you Joy
Once you find some emotional relief, you can connect to things that make you happy outside of your last relationship. Maybe this looks like taking a long walk with your dog, going shopping with a friend, or reading a book in a park. Ask yourself what makes you happy (however small), and then pursue it in any way that you can. Doing this reconnects you to a sense of joy that is entirely separate from anything your last relationship could offer.
How to Know if You Need Therapy for After a Breakup
Therapy for after a breakup works well for people who are ready to talk about their experience and work to improve their mental health. Therapy is a great option for those who want to make sense of their experiences and positively change their lives. Signs you could benefit from therapy after a breakup include:
Feeling overwhelmed
Struggling to complete daily tasks
Avoiding social interactions
Crying more days than not
Feeling hopeless
Feeling confused
Feeling worthless
Panic Attacks
Insomia/Oversleeping
If any of the above resonates with what you are experiencing, you are not alone. Philosophie Therapy offers therapy services uniquely tailored to meet the needs of people struggling after a breakup. Keep reading to learn more about our services, or feel free to contact us or schedule a free phone consultation with a licensed therapist.
Stages of Therapy for After a Breakup
The process of therapy for after a breakup is relatively simple. It begins with learning about what you are experiencing and ends when you feel better. Your therapist will work with you to establish a treatment plan that is tailor-made to meet your unique mental health goals.
Stage 1: Grieve
The first stage of therapy for after a breakup involves allowing you time to grieve. Your therapist will ask you questions to understand what you are experiencing while teaching you helpful coping skills to ensure the grief is bearable. The more you express your grief, the lighter it becomes.
Stage 2: Release
After you have begun to process your grief, your therapist will highlight parts of your thought patterns that are overly self-critical and encourage you to reframe them into healthier, more sustainable ways of thinking. The goal of this phase is to release mindsets that are no longer serving you so that you can make room for mindsets that will.
Stage 3: Finding Inner Strength
The final and most rewarding phase of therapy for after a breakup is finding inner strength. You and your therapist will explore what you find fulfilling and build a plan for you to pursue whatever it may be. Finding inner strength can only happen after you have thoroughly processed your emotions and released negative thought patterns that may hold you back from pursuing things that make you happy.
Talk to a Therapist About Your Breakup Today!
If you or someone you know is struggling with the aftermath of a breakup, Philosophie Therapy is here to help. We offer specialized therapy services to help you heal after a breakup. To start therapy for after a breakup, you can contact us or click the button below to schedule a free, 15-minute phone consultation with a licensed therapist.