{"id":35661,"date":"2021-01-19T07:32:03","date_gmt":"2021-01-19T12:32:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.staging4.blunt-therapy.com\/?p=35488"},"modified":"2021-12-12T21:19:04","modified_gmt":"2021-12-13T02:19:04","slug":"stages-of-a-breakup-defined","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/stages-of-a-breakup-defined\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Awful (But Totally Normal) Stages of A Breakup, Defined"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/stages-of-a-breakup-defined\/#7_Stages_of_A_Breakup\" title=\"7 Stages of A Breakup\">7 Stages of A Breakup<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/stages-of-a-breakup-defined\/#1_Confusion\" title=\"1. Confusion\">1. Confusion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/stages-of-a-breakup-defined\/#2_Denial\" title=\"2. Denial\">2. Denial<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/stages-of-a-breakup-defined\/#3_Negotiating\" title=\"3. Negotiating\">3. Negotiating<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/stages-of-a-breakup-defined\/#4_Relapse\" title=\"4. Relapse\">4. Relapse<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/stages-of-a-breakup-defined\/#5_Anger\" title=\"5. Anger\">5. Anger<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/stages-of-a-breakup-defined\/#6_Reluctant_Acceptance\" title=\"6. Reluctant Acceptance\">6. Reluctant Acceptance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/stages-of-a-breakup-defined\/#7_Renewed_Hope\" title=\"7. Renewed Hope\">7. Renewed Hope<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/stages-of-a-breakup-defined\/#Healing_from_Post_Break-up_Grief\" title=\"Healing from Post Break-up Grief\">Healing from Post Break-up Grief<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>Breakups. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most gut-wrenching experiences a person can have. One moment, a couple is madly in love. The next, their world is crashing down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are many reasons why <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" data-wpil=\"url\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/category\/relationships\/\" title=\"relationships\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">relationships<\/a> end. Sometimes, couples simply fall out of love. Other times, breakups stem from a betrayal or abusive behavior. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whatever the reason, breakups are painful, confusing, and uncomfortable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The aftermath of a breakup is tricky to navigate when life feels like it&#8217;s spinning out of control. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are the seven most common stages of a breakup and what to expect during each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/awful-stages-of-a-breakup.jpg\" alt=\"7 Awful (But Normal) Stages of A Breakup, Defined\" class=\"wp-image-35576 lazyload\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/awful-stages-of-a-breakup.jpg\" alt=\"7 Awful (But Normal) Stages of A Breakup, Defined\" class=\"wp-image-35576 lazyload\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/awful-stages-of-a-breakup.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/awful-stages-of-a-breakup-83x125.jpg 83w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/awful-stages-of-a-breakup-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/awful-stages-of-a-breakup-150x225.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/awful-stages-of-a-breakup-768x1152.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>7 Awful (But Normal) Stages of A Breakup, Defined<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Stages_of_A_Breakup\"><\/span>7 Stages of A Breakup<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Confusion\"><\/span>1. Confusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The first stage of a breakup is the most confusing. Life is a whirlwind and nothing is normal. You might be in shock and not even fully realize what just happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are going to be more questions than answers at this point. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/distorted-thinking-and-cognitive-distortions\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\">Thoughts<\/a> can feel as if they&#8217;re spinning out of control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>&#8220;Is it really over?&#8221; <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>&#8220;What now?<\/em>&#8220;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At times, the demise of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/category\/relationships\/\">relationship<\/a> is painfully clear. The next moment, things get&#8230; murky. Emotions run high. Nothing is certain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It may still <em>feel <\/em>like there is a chance things could work out. That&#8217;s when the denial phase starts. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Denial\"><\/span>2. Denial<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>After the initial confusion stage comes <a aria-label=\"denial (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/me-we\/201406\/the-7-stages-grieving-breakup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rank-math-link\">denial<\/a>. It&#8217;s not just a river in Egypt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Denial is a refusal to accept reality. It&#8217;s a common reaction to a traumatic event like a breakup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Denial, though, is an important stage. It needs to happen for us to realize that the breakup actually occurred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it&#8217;s easier said than done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the denial stage, you will believe there is a possibility that the relationship is fixable, even though it didn&#8217;t end well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>&#8220;Maybe it isn&#8217;t really over.&#8221; <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>&#8220;Maybe there&#8217;s still a chance .&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This idea can derail the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/narcissistic-abuse-recovery\/\">need to heal<\/a> and recover. You need to embrace reality. You two broke up for a reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fear of the unknown keeps us from healing. It is too scary and painful to move on at this point. It&#8217;s easier to deny reality than it is to accept what happened.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Negotiating\"><\/span>3. Negotiating<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>After the realization that the relationship may be over sets in, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/how-to-stop-a-panic-attack\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\">panic <\/a>ensues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this phase, you become willing to do anything to try to reconcile the relationship. You are prepared to overlook things that bothered or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/signs-of-an-emotionally-abusive-relationship\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\">hurt you<\/a> while you were a couple, even if it was a significant issue like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/signs-its-time-to-end-a-relationship\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\">abuse<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if your partner isn&#8217;t willing to change, you desperately try to negotiate with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You know deep down it isn&#8217;t going to work, but you continue to try to bargain anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Relapse\"><\/span>4. Relapse<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point, the pain and desperation become so unbearable that you become willing to get back with your ex. This is often a coping mechanism rather than a long-term fix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some people do end up getting back together during this stage. It&#8217;s probably not even the first time you&#8217;ve tried.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, if both of you are unwilling to work change what caused the relationship fail in the first place, it will fall apart again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting back together may temporarily relieve the pain of a breakup. Unfortunately, if you don&#8217;t fix the main issues, it&#8217;s only a band-aid that delays healing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Anger\"><\/span>5. Anger<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you start to realize that your relationship is over for good, you will begin to feel angry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While anger is often considered a negative emotion, it can be empowering after a breakup.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this phase, you start to prioritize your needs. You grow angry when you realize your partner was not meeting these needs. That&#8217;s why you broke up in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You might also be angry at yourself for still holding a torch for your ex. But all that is totally normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anger is often a positive emotion when healing from a breakup. Anger motivates us to move forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It can also provide the direction and clarity you need to propel yourself towards acceptance and healing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Reluctant_Acceptance\"><\/span>6. Reluctant Acceptance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In this phase, you begin to accept the reality of the breakup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It isn&#8217;t full acceptance, but it is a start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the beginning of the breakup, you were ambivalent about moving on. Now, the idea of returning to the relationship gives you the creeps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You might not be fully ready to move on yet but you have accepted you need to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Renewed_Hope\"><\/span>7. Renewed Hope<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Reluctant acceptance eventually turns into hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You begin to realize you will be okay without your ex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This realization will come slowly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Maybe you make it through the day without crying for the first time. Perhaps you rediscover a part of yourself that you lost in the relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Soon, these minor victories turn into confidence. Things that once seemed impossible will become easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if everything isn&#8217;t perfect, <em>there is hope.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"lazyload\" title=\"7 Stages After A Break Up\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fQ4jVGMDlGw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption>7 Stages After A Break Up. Courtesy, Psych2Go.<br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Healing_from_Post_Break-up_Grief\"><\/span>Healing from Post Break-up Grief<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/healthy-ways-to-cope-with-grief\/\">Grief<\/a> is a natural but complicated process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It looks different for everyone, and factors such as past events, personality, and type of breakup can affect the experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The stages of a breakup are not always linear, either. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You will go through all of them, but not necessarily in the order they are listed. Some will take longer than others. Some you will go through numerous times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It takes time to heal. There&#8217;s nothing wrong with that. You&#8217;ll have good days and bad days. Healing has ups and downs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is also not something that you need to do alone.&nbsp;It&#8217;s not a good idea to rush into your next relationship, but it is a good idea to reconnect with family and friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Use this time to develop a support system and connect other resources,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/how-to-get-results-in-therapy\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\"> like therapy<\/a>. These days, you can get <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/complete-guide-to-online-virtual-counseling\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\">therapy on your smartphone<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most importantly, breakups give us all an opportunity to rediscover ourselves again outside of a relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f0f8ff\">If you need help to heal from a breakup, try BetterHelp, the #1 <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/betterhelp-counseling-review\/\" title=\"online counseling\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">online counseling<\/a> platform. <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow rel=&quot;sponsored&quot;\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"BetterHelp\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/recommends\/betterhelp\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Click here to get a discounted rate.&nbsp;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-uagb-section uagb-section__wrap uagb-section__background-color uagb-block-540ad93d\"><div class=\"uagb-section__overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"uagb-section__inner-wrap\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-call-to-action uagb-block-73105e3b wp-block-button\"><div class=\"uagb-cta__wrap\"><h5 class=\"uagb-cta__title\">Private Practice  with No Overhead and No Shortage of Clients.<br><\/h5><p class=\"uagb-cta__desc\">Join\u00a0the more than 34,000 full and part-time therapists who are earning more with BetterHelp! Supplement your income, or build your own practice from scratch. Bonuses &amp; Incentives for High Performers! <strong>Sponsored Advertisement<\/strong><\/p><\/div><div class=\"uagb-cta__buttons\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hasofferstracking.betterhelp.com\/aff_c?offer_id=20&amp;aff_id=1614\" class=\"uagb-cta__button-link-wrapper wp-block-button__link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Join BetterHelp<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Breakups. We eventually get over them, so long as we don&#8217;t repeat the same mistakes. Learn about the 7 stages of a breakup so you can get through them faster.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":35575,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","ub_ctt_via":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[797],"tags":[906,677,52,809],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/7-Awful-But-Normal-Stages-of-A-Breakup-Defined.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Randy Withers, LCMHC","author_link":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/author\/randy-withers\/"},"modified_by":"Randy Withers, LCMHC","uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/7-Awful-But-Normal-Stages-of-A-Breakup-Defined.jpg",800,450,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/7-Awful-But-Normal-Stages-of-A-Breakup-Defined-150x84.jpg",150,84,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/7-Awful-But-Normal-Stages-of-A-Breakup-Defined-200x113.jpg",200,113,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/7-Awful-But-Normal-Stages-of-A-Breakup-Defined-768x432.jpg",768,432,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/7-Awful-But-Normal-Stages-of-A-Breakup-Defined-400x225.jpg",400,225,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/7-Awful-But-Normal-Stages-of-A-Breakup-Defined.jpg",800,450,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/7-Awful-But-Normal-Stages-of-A-Breakup-Defined.jpg",800,450,false],"tiny":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/7-Awful-But-Normal-Stages-of-A-Breakup-Defined.jpg",60,34,false],"thumbnail-medium":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/7-Awful-But-Normal-Stages-of-A-Breakup-Defined.jpg",480,270,false],"thumbnail-square":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/7-Awful-But-Normal-Stages-of-A-Breakup-Defined.jpg",480,270,false],"thumbnail-portrait":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/7-Awful-But-Normal-Stages-of-A-Breakup-Defined.jpg",480,270,false],"thumbnail-large":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/7-Awful-But-Normal-Stages-of-A-Breakup-Defined.jpg",720,405,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Randy Withers, LCMHC","author_link":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/author\/randy-withers\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Breakups. We eventually get over them, so long as we don't repeat the same mistakes. Learn about the 7 stages of a breakup so you can get through them faster.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35661"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35661"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35661\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35575"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35661"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35661"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35661"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}