Did you know that most people suffer from an identity crisis post-breakup? Poor behavior, cheating, and misdirected anger are among the most common reasons couples end their relationships. It’s an emotional and challenging time for everyone involved—not just them but the people around them too.
Especially for long relationships, a person’s friends and family might have formed bonds with their significant other. When they break up, not only do they reach out to loved ones for help, but it also obliges family and friends to take care of them. As someone looking from the outside, how do you help your loved one get over a breakup?
Listen to Them Over a Warm Beverage
A breakup is a harsh reality that often feels like waking up from a dream and straight into a nightmare. It can affect both the state of a person’s mind and body. For starters, involved partners can feel pain because the emotional response triggers specific receptors for physical pain in the brain.
One of the most dangerous conditions related to heartbreak is Takotsubo syndrome, better known as broken heart syndrome. It’s a form of cardiomyopathy caused by stress. It’s dangerous because it weakens the heart muscle and can result in more severe conditions. Now, as a friend, there isn’t much you can do to help the muscle recover. But you can be a shoulder or pillar to lean on, and the most crucial part is that you listen to them.
Active listening is a skill, and it’s essential because it helps us build connections by fostering trust and compassion. In addition, it enables you to find solutions to problems because you understand the issue better. It’s helpful to you and beneficial for a heartbroken friend because it shows them the care, love, and empathy they need. It’s a way for them to acknowledge that they’re not alone and that people care about them.
It’s essential for them because it helps them regain their footing. But you might wonder, why have a conversation over a warm beverage? The reason is simple: studies have shown that warm drinks help improve the function of the nervous system. It’s comforting and stress-relieving. That’s why the first thing you can do when you visit your friend is offer them a warm drink, or better yet, spend the afternoon at a nice place like Utopia Caffe.
Get Them Out of the House
The last place you want them to be in is a place where they have many memories with their significant other. Studies have shown that thinking about your former partner can help you get over them quicker. However, it’s best to wean them off slowly and allow them to process the breakup before you can talk about moving on.
They might need a shower and to get out of the house for fresh air. You don’t have to party right away, but you need to expose your friends to new environments that won’t remind them of the relationship.
For example, take them to the local park or go hiking with them. In addition, you can have meaningful conversations with them. Help them internalize the breakup and identify valuable lessons that they’ve learned. Ask them questions like what the separation means and what it made them feel. Sometimes, your friend needs to acknowledge some things so that proper healing can begin.
You can also get your things, pack your backs, go on a road trip, or have a short vacation somewhere. These are suitable activities that can lower stress hormones and induce the production of happy chemicals. Not only is it fun to go out, but it’s also beneficial mentally and physically.
Learn a Skill with Them
Learning a skill is something that people don’t usually think about post-breakup. For that reason, many people miss out on its benefits. For starters, it keeps your friend and yourself occupied. When you learn a skill or two, you need to practice patience, logical thinking, and focus. It’s a great and practical form of distraction that helps your friends prepare themselves to process the breakup.
Sometimes, it can hurt more when you force people to face reality as soon as it hits. It also doesn’t always work well with everybody. You may have to ease them in and let them process the break up at a slow pace. That’s where healthy distractions come in, and learning a skill or two is perfect.
It keeps you physically and mentally healthy because it engages your body and mind to accomplish tasks. In addition, it opens doors to new opportunities. You and your friend can land new careers or learn to widen your horizons. If you learn skills, you become more adaptable and independent. In other words, this a great way to restore control in their hands.
After a breakup, people often suffer from an identity crisis. They forget who they and what they can do with their lives. They often second guess themselves and downplay their worthiness. So remind them about how amazing they are and how they can regain control over their thoughts and lives.
When your friends get broken by relationships, a part of your heart aches for them because it’s difficult to see someone you love in a painful situation. Although they’re the ones who carry the burden of a broken heart, you can help them find strength by being there for them. Listen to them, take them out, and learn so that eventually, they will find their pieces and put them back together.
