People go through different stages after a breakup to deal with grief and heal properly. Each emotional phase helps you let go of the past and become a stronger person.

Undoubtedly, going through a breakup is not easy. After all, letting go of the person you love is a painful thing. Having so many special moments and memories together makes it even more difficult to break up with someone. Even if it is the right thing to do, a breakup surely stings. As a result, you have to deal with a lot of negative emotions – most significantly grief. This blog is about the different stages after a breakup. Here, we will discuss how a person goes through grief and embark on a path of healing.

Breaking up with someone you love is hurtful but this is not the forever ending.

Before moving on, keep in mind that every person perceives breakup differently. Therefore, the emotional phases are different for different people. We are going to delve into the stages of grief most people have been observed to experience.

Stages After a Breakup

Loving someone with all your heart and then letting them go can be very overwhelming to deal with. You will feel all kinds of negative emotions. However, it is ok to feel this way. In fact, you have to feel this way to heal properly. Here are the breakup stages most people usually go through:

Denial

The denial stage is actually your mind’s defense mechanism upon hearing the news of the breakup. The main sign of being in denial is that you are not able to accept the truth. Your mind tries to keep finding ways to reconcile. During this phase, you keep on ignoring how negatively the relationship has been impacting you. Instead, you start reflecting on the positives of the relationships. Being in denial is natural and everyone’s time going through it differs. The best way to cope with this phase is to turn to your family and friends or someone whom you can trust for constructive advice.

Resentment

After you accept the fact that you have broken up, it is natural to feel angry at your partner. You may resent that you spent your time, effort, and energy on them. It is totally ok if you feel anger towards your ex-significant other. But, avoid making any rash decisions during this phase. It is because you will have the urge to take impulsive actions but you are surely going to regret them in the future. So, wait until your emotions settle in and then see what’s better to do considering the situation you are in. You can do different exercises to channel your anger. Journaling is also an effective way to express your emotions.

Bargaining

Going through this phase can hurt you even more than the breakup itself. You will experience different stages after a breakup to finally recover. However, the bargaining stage can disturb the overall healing pattern and will take you back to level zero. People in this phase usually try to patch up with their ex-partner. Furthermore, they also try to rebuild the relationship through friendship. Being friends with your ex, especially when you have not resolved your feelings, will only leave you hurt. It is because the other person will not be able to feel the same way you do. 

Sadness

Getting out of a relationship that once you cherished is the worst feeling to deal with. After you have accepted your breakup, you will feel sad. Many people describe this stage as their whole world falling apart. After all, making peace with the fact that the person is no longer a part of your life is the most difficult thing to do. It is totally fine to mourn over the loss of your future plans and a bond you cherished so much. During this phase, it is better to turn to someone reliable. Moreover, you can also seek professional support to get through this time.

Acceptance

Now that you have experienced all the difficult stages of grief breakup, it is time for acceptance. This is when you completely accept the departure of your significant other from your life. Accepting that you have broken up lightens the burden on your shoulders. You may still feel sad and grieve over the loss but you now know that moving on is the best decision. Also, experiencing all of the above stages of sadness will prepare you to think ahead. You start seeing the positives of life again and prioritizing yourself above anyone else.

Healing

Experiencing all these stages after a breakup is painful, but it is necessary. Why? Because without resolving your grief, you won’t heal properly. It is important to let go of the negative emotions to open doors to life again. After accepting that you have broken up and you are better off alone, you are ready to experience life in a different, more positive way. Remember, grief will take time to go away and there is no specific time of healing. It totally depends on how you perceive the situation and what steps you take to recover.

Seek a Support System

Grief takes different stages after a breakup and it is always beneficial to seek support from your surroundings. Moreover, building a support system will help you navigate the grief and it can also speed up the recovery process. You can go to your family members and friends for this matter. After all, our loved ones can never see us in pain and they are the most reliable ones for help when dealing with the breakup pain. You can also get professional help for more effective healing. Other effective measures to deal with breakups are practicing mindfulness, doing exercises, and journaling.

Life Goes On!

You must have heard that “The show must go on.” Well, that’s a fact. People will come and go but your life will keep moving on. You should not let the departure of a person impact your mental well-being for too long. While feeling sad about the loss of a special bond is understandable, letting it affect your self-worth is totally wrong. So, don’t let negative emotions take over your mind! Remember, as life goes on, you will find someone to love again.