They say that friends are the family we choose in life, therefore, they are an essential part of us and come to occupy a very special place in our hearts. Therefore, when a friendship ends, we go through a difficult and, often, painful moment.
Although little is discussed about friendship breakups, it is something that can happen at any time and it is best that you be prepared for that moment. Whether you ended a toxic friendship or there was a problem that caused that special friendship to move away, in this Psychology-online article we will explain how to overcome a broken friendship so that you can move forward with more positivity and motivation.
What does a broken friendship mean?
Friendship is a feeling of affection and mutual respect that forms an unbreakable bond between people, where support and appreciation is constant. In fact, healthy is a relationship that contributes to people having a better quality of life.
However, friendship is not always reciprocated. Sometimes, betrayals occur, envy and selfishness arise, there are constant criticisms or situations that break loyalty and force a friendly relationship to end.
When the bond weakens, the friendship breaks because the personal interests come before the common well-being. In that case, it is best to recognize the situation and act assertively to overcome the broken friendship and so that everyone can follow their separate path.
Now that you know what a broken friendship means, we will give you some recommendations and strategies to balance your emotions and overcome the breakup of your friendship.
Acknowledge the loss
Losing a friendship is as painful as breaking up a relationship and handling that type of situation is usually more complicated. Therefore, to get over a broken friendship, start by recognize the pain what that causes you and open yourself to your true feelings.
It is important that you lean on other people to express what you feel for having lost a beautiful friendship. Also, if you have the need to cry, it is good to do so to drain your emotions.
Organize a symbolic closing ritual
Most likely, you will not be able to talk openly with the person you lost as a friend. So, it is convenient that you do some symbolic act that represents the closure of that friendship. For example, you can be write a lettertalk in front of a mirror as if you will talk to your former friend or write an email, among other things.
It doesn’t matter that you don’t receive a response, since the purpose is for you to release your emotions and release the pain and sadness you feel about the lost friendship.
Keep or get rid of objects that remind you of friendship
What to do to get over a broken friendship? Always having in sight the memories that belonged to your friend and that are a symbol of the friendship that died, does you no good. The best is that you keep everything in a far away place where you have no contact with them. If this process is very painful for you, you can ask a loved one for support.
Evaluate what went wrong in the friendship
It is possible that the friendship was broken by betrayal or a bitter moment. In fact, toxic behavior is often one of the first reasons why relationships end. Therefore, if that was the case, the best thing that could happen is that you will walk away from that friendship.
Now, if the friendship ended due to distance, it is good that you appreciate the presence of that person in your life, as well as all the lessons he left you and that you continue moving forward on your path.
Avoid negative feelings
Avoid resentment, hatred or resentment It is one of the best strategies to get over a broken friendship. In fact, negative thoughts towards the other person will only remind you of what happened and prevent you from moving forward. Therefore, focus on the good times you had with your friend and let life take its course. Precisely, in this article you will find information about .
Identify your own needs
Another of the most appropriate ways to get over the end of a friendship is learn to know you to identify what you need to feel better. Once you manage an assertive and honest internal diagnosis, you will be able to focus on the activities that are most beneficial for you. Discover .
Remember that you deserve good friends
This might be one of the trickiest steps in getting over a broken friendship, but it’s also one of the most important. Although that person has been special in your life, it does not mean that it will be the last friendship you will have.
Give yourself time to go out and meet new people, as well as cultivate relationships with your old friends. Although it is not always easy to meet new people, it is possible, but only if you expand your expectations and your social circle.
Practice self-care
Even if you feel sad and don’t want to get out of bed all day, it is essential that you make an effort and go for a walk or distract yourself for a few hours. Do not neglect your appearance or well-being or your personal hygiene, since to overcome a broken friendship between two friends it is necessary take care of your physical and mental health.
A good option to distract yourself and relax is to go out and play a sport, participate in community activities or play a musical instrument.
Organize your space
Sometimes a change of environment can help you see things from a different point of view. Therefore, take a day to redecorate your room, to move furniture or go shopping some new plants that give more color and showiness to your environment. This visual aesthetic change will give you more encouragement and motivation to get over a broken friendship.
Seek help if you need it
If your emotional health is compromised and you are going through depression, it is important to seek guidance from a mental health professional to help you deal with your situation. If you doubt what to do to overcome a friendship broken by love, in this article you will discover.
Your best friend is you
One of the most important aspects of getting over a broken friendship is learn to value yourself and to recognize that you are a person full of abilities. Once you recognize that your mental health and well-being comes first, you will feel much better.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- Forgas, J.P. (2002). Interpersonal behavior. La psychology dell’interazione sociale. Rome: Armando Editore.
- Zaccagnini, J.L. (2010). Friendship and psychological well-being: the role of “c-friends”. Meetings in Social Psychology, 5(1), 63-72.