You have been with your boyfriend for over a year and you were convinced he was the one. Then you break up, you have trouble sleeping, you feel like a family member has suddenly moved far away and your mood drastically changes. Whether it is out of the blue or mutual, it can affect you in ways you never anticipated. Here are some things you can do to help you cope and move on in a healthy way.
1. Keep yourself busy: Whether it is working ahead in school or picking up a few shifts at work, keeping busy will help you take your mind off things and keep you out of your room sulking in bed with a pint of Ben&Jerry’s. That is not healthy for your thighs or your mental state.
2. Distance yourself: If you go to school with your ex distance yourself a bit, try not to have direct contact unless you HAVE to see him because of work or class. By doing this you are getting space and respecting his. You need to let your situation sink in. Let him miss you being gone. If you start hanging out, you will most likely regress and make things worse between you. If it is a long-distance relationship, try not to speak on the phone for the first few days.
3. Vent: You need to accept the decision that you two are no longer together. Once you accomplish this venting is healthy, whether it is to your close girlfriends or it is on paper. Repressing your feelings is the worst way to handle a breakup.
4. Arrange some girls nights: Your in college, these are the best years of your life. Get dolled up and have a night out with the girls. You will have some laughs, cocktails and feel sexy and on the market again. If your out and getting some male attention, its ok to be flirty. However, do not rush into another relationship or have a one night stand or random hookup right away.You are going to feel tempted and vulnerable, but resist it. I assure you, if it is bad you will be twice as depressed and will only be reminded of how much better your ex was! Give it some time. There are plenty of fish in the sea, remember that.
5. Avoid telling your family every nitty griddy detail: Relatives are great and you can count on them to always be there for you, but sometimes the more they know, the worse it can be for you. They mean well, but the constant reminders of how you should be handling the breakup and never-ending comments and analysis of your relationship is not helpful. In fact it will most likely make you feel worse. So keep the details and information you release to a minimum.