How to Cope when Your Friend Dumps You
Acknowledge your feelings., Avoid blocking off your emotions., Talk to someone., Write a goodbye letter., Get rid of reminders.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Acknowledge your feelings.
The first step in moving past the loss of a friend is getting in touch with how you feel.
There is usually sadness, but you may feel anger, betrayal, and/or guilt as well.
It's okay to feel all of those things, but you have acknowledge the emotions if want to learn and move on from the experience.If you’re having a difficult time accessing your feelings, try looking at old photos of you and your friend in happier times or read texts, emails, or cards that she sent.
Listening to songs that you remind of your friend may help you acknowledge your feelings too.
Visiting a favorite restaurant, coffee shop, or store that you used to go to with your friend can also help evoke memories of your friendship. -
Step 2: Avoid blocking off your emotions.
Sometimes, when you’re hurting over the loss of a friendship, you may try to numb yourself to the pain.
But trying to block out your true feelings means that you can never really process them and move on.
Allow yourself to feel the hurt and anger that your friend has caused, so you can work through them.Don't be embarrassed to cry over the loss of a friendship; it can be just as upsetting as the end of a romantic relationship, so it's normal to have an emotional reaction.
If you aren't sure how to express your emotions, using a journal to write down how you feel can be very helpful. , In many cases, just acknowledging how you feel about the loss of your friend isn’t enough to help you get through the pain.
Discussing the situation with another friend or a family member who you trust may give you better insight into what happened, and allow you to begin to move on.If you don’t have a friend or relative that you feel comfortable talking with or you’re feeling particularly upset by the loss of your friend, you may want to speak to a counselor or mental health care professional.
Not only can they provide an objective perspective on what happened, they’ll be able to provide expert tips on how to handle your anger and depression. , This may seem obvious, but if you don’t actually say goodbye to your friendship, it can be difficult to get closure.
Actually seeing or calling your friend again can be awkward and uncomfortable, though, so writing a letter can be a good alternative.
You can take some time to really think about what you want to say, without worrying about being interrupted.You don’t actually have to send the letter to your friend.
Think of it more as a therapeutic way to bid farewell to the friendship, and write it for yourself instead of your friend. , It helps to find a personal way to mourn the relationship, so you can begin to move on.
Having reminders of your friend around after the friendship is over can be painful, so it can be a good idea to get rid of them to give yourself a fresh start.
It's also an effective way to help yourself accept that the relationship is over.You can get rid of anything that reminds you of your friend, including photos, cards, clothing, jewelry, and other gifts that she may have given you.
Don't just toss the reminders of your friendship in the trash if you want to get rid of them.
If the items are in good shape, consider donating them to a local charity, so you can feel like something good is coming out of the end of your friendship.
Clothing is an especially good item to donate. -
Step 3: Talk to someone.
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Step 4: Write a goodbye letter.
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Step 5: Get rid of reminders.
Detailed Guide
The first step in moving past the loss of a friend is getting in touch with how you feel.
There is usually sadness, but you may feel anger, betrayal, and/or guilt as well.
It's okay to feel all of those things, but you have acknowledge the emotions if want to learn and move on from the experience.If you’re having a difficult time accessing your feelings, try looking at old photos of you and your friend in happier times or read texts, emails, or cards that she sent.
Listening to songs that you remind of your friend may help you acknowledge your feelings too.
Visiting a favorite restaurant, coffee shop, or store that you used to go to with your friend can also help evoke memories of your friendship.
Sometimes, when you’re hurting over the loss of a friendship, you may try to numb yourself to the pain.
But trying to block out your true feelings means that you can never really process them and move on.
Allow yourself to feel the hurt and anger that your friend has caused, so you can work through them.Don't be embarrassed to cry over the loss of a friendship; it can be just as upsetting as the end of a romantic relationship, so it's normal to have an emotional reaction.
If you aren't sure how to express your emotions, using a journal to write down how you feel can be very helpful. , In many cases, just acknowledging how you feel about the loss of your friend isn’t enough to help you get through the pain.
Discussing the situation with another friend or a family member who you trust may give you better insight into what happened, and allow you to begin to move on.If you don’t have a friend or relative that you feel comfortable talking with or you’re feeling particularly upset by the loss of your friend, you may want to speak to a counselor or mental health care professional.
Not only can they provide an objective perspective on what happened, they’ll be able to provide expert tips on how to handle your anger and depression. , This may seem obvious, but if you don’t actually say goodbye to your friendship, it can be difficult to get closure.
Actually seeing or calling your friend again can be awkward and uncomfortable, though, so writing a letter can be a good alternative.
You can take some time to really think about what you want to say, without worrying about being interrupted.You don’t actually have to send the letter to your friend.
Think of it more as a therapeutic way to bid farewell to the friendship, and write it for yourself instead of your friend. , It helps to find a personal way to mourn the relationship, so you can begin to move on.
Having reminders of your friend around after the friendship is over can be painful, so it can be a good idea to get rid of them to give yourself a fresh start.
It's also an effective way to help yourself accept that the relationship is over.You can get rid of anything that reminds you of your friend, including photos, cards, clothing, jewelry, and other gifts that she may have given you.
Don't just toss the reminders of your friendship in the trash if you want to get rid of them.
If the items are in good shape, consider donating them to a local charity, so you can feel like something good is coming out of the end of your friendship.
Clothing is an especially good item to donate.
About the Author
Virginia Rodriguez
Virginia Rodriguez has dedicated 5 years to mastering education and learning. As a content creator, Virginia focuses on providing actionable tips and step-by-step guides.
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