

{"id":65604,"date":"2021-05-03T05:29:41","date_gmt":"2021-05-03T05:29:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/?p=65604"},"modified":"2022-12-13T07:22:31","modified_gmt":"2022-12-13T07:22:31","slug":"how-to-get-closure-after-a-breakup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/how-to-get-closure-after-a-breakup\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get Closure After a Breakup: 10 Step Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-65835\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/how-to-get-closure-after-a-breakup1.jpg\" alt=\"Breakup Couple Sitting Apart On The Sofa\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A sense of failure, frustration, heartache, and unanswered questions usually comes to bear at the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/tips-on-how-to-end-a-dead-end-relationship\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">end of a relationship<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It can be overwhelming.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We often feel like we&rsquo;ve hit rock bottom and our love life is over. Kaput! Waves of confusion can overtake us, and we might not know what to say or how to act. We may get trapped in a maze with no exit in sight.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These descriptions might sound overly dramatic and cruel, but so is letting go of a loved one. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/how-to-accept-and-move-on-from-a-relationship\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moving on<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> without closure, and gaining its recuperative power, is key to getting over that hurdle.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ldquo;Closure&rdquo; is a big word you often hear from day-time psychologists and New Age gurus. Nonetheless, when heartbreak hits us like a train, it is necessary to find out how to get closure after a breakup.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Through it, we can look for answers about why the relationship ended. We can also learn how to deal with the pain its final chapter has created. It&rsquo;s the end of a relationship, not the end of your life.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-is-closure-after-a-breakup\"><\/span><b>What is closure after a breakup?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before we discuss what to do after a breakup and how to get closure, let us first talk about what closure is. What does closure mean?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When a relationship is over, we may want the whole rigmarole to disappear. Essentially, we want to nip our feelings toward someone in the bud. In short, we want to close that chapter of our life and never again re-read it.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But for that to happen, we need an endpoint. But what exactly is closure? And is closure necessary?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Closure means ending an emotional circumstance without pain or regrets. And it implies extricating ourselves from the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3115386\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">emotional burden<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and no longer allowing the relationship to have any weight on our well-being.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By accepting that the relationship is over, you gain a measure of insight from it and that you are no longer emotionally attached to it, you can begin anew. The closure allows you to engage in healthy relationships.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting closure after a breakup diminishes the heartbreak and helps to move on. Yet, getting closure can have a different meaning for many. And, more importantly, different ways of achieving it.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Researchers have studied countless breakups to understand the dynamics of the whole predicament. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosone\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pone.0217320\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Results<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have shown that separations are cruel, not only at an emotional level but at a physical and neurological level. They affect us in body and mind.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, learning how to get closure after a breakup is the best way to cope with hopelessness. It is also a good starting point for moving ahead of the breakup.<\/span><\/p>\n<pre><b><i>Related Reading<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/how-to-start-over-a-relationship\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">12 Helpful Tips on Starting a Relationship Over<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/pre>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-65837\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/getting-closure-after-a-breakup-is-not-easy-for-everyone.jpg\" alt=\"Upset Men And Women Looking Each Other On The Table At Cafe\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10-step-guide-for-getting-closure-after-a-breakup\"><\/span><b>10 step guide for getting closure after a breakup<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to a screeching end, you&rsquo;re left in the rain without an umbrella, wondering what happened. All your friends patting you on the back say, &ldquo;You just need to get some closure.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sure, it seems simple, but as they say, words are cheap, and action is expensive. How to get closure after a breakup? How do you even begin? What steps after a breakup do you need to take?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finding closure is essential to ensure a proper healing process. Here are some steps that can help you understand the meaning of closure in relationships and ways to attain it:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>1. Acceptance<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accepting the end of a relationship is the first step toward closure. Letting go of an ex who doesn&rsquo;t want you will help you get closure faster. You need to give yourself time and space to achieve it.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don&rsquo;t dive into the illusion that that person will return to your arms. As long as you accept your reality, it&rsquo;s easier to let go of the relationship and move on, no matter how hard it seems.<\/span><\/p>\n<pre><b><i>Related Reading<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/developing-acceptance-skills-in-a-relationship\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Developing Acceptance Skills in a Relationship<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/pre>\n<h3><b>2. Maintain total distance<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Should you talk to your ex?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if you need to contact your ex, avoid it at any cost. Your heart is still tender, and wanting to approach or talk to your ex will only make the process more painful.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The attempt at closure conversation after breakups can end in disappointment while leaving the door open for an unhealthy reattachment with an ex.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both of you can be friends in the distant future, but keep your distance for now. Delete their phone contacts and unfollow their social networks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Creeping on your ex&rsquo;s social media accounts is the worst thing you can do. It would only create false stories in your head. You might even get angry by watching them or even wish you could be there.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&rsquo;s best to duck any possible contact. So, ask yourself, &ldquo;should I contact my ex for closure?&rdquo; The answer is a resounding: NO!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>3. Detachment<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you still keep some of your ex-lover&rsquo;s belongings, get rid of them or have them delivered to them by a friend. Or, do the whole bonfire in the backyard ritual. Very primal and, if it was a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/signs-of-disrespect-in-a-relationship\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">messy relationship<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, very stimulating.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learning how to get closure in a relationship involves detaching yourself from the person you once loved. Rituals like burning a photograph can help you accept the end of a relationship.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>4. Stop playing the blame game<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to get closure after a breakup and start living life blissfully?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don&rsquo;t waste time looking for whom to blame. This attitude will only generate negative emotions. If the relationship didn&rsquo;t work, accept it and move on.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There will be no closure from the breakup if you spend time revisiting aspects of your relationship to assign blame to your ex. Let the past go, and try to move towards a healthy future.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>5. Write down your sorrows<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you need a closure talk after a break up, don&rsquo;t bottle up all your emotions.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember to keep your distance. But, if you think there were things left unsaid between each other, lay them down on paper. Write down what you&rsquo;d like to express to your ex, but don&rsquo;t send it.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes expressing our thoughts on a piece of paper can help out by guiding us through a critical analysis of what they mean. Seeing them in black and white can be rather clarifying.<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/better\/pop-culture\/we-re-wired-negativity-here-s-how-keep-small-setbacks-ncna957201\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You see, our brains have a negative bias. We&rsquo;re hardwired to be negative and are attracted to it. Even after years of separation, resentments have a way of lingering.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To learn how writing can be therapeutic, watch this video:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kz4BhZJse98\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><b>6. Let your suffering go through its healing period<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you need to cry, do it. Don&rsquo;t suppress your feelings. Don&rsquo;t judge yourself because you feel sad.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sooner or later, everything will pass. It&rsquo;s normal. Getting closure from an ex involves going through a healing process that addresses the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/counseling\/how-to-deal-with-heart-breaks\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pain and heartbreak<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that one has experienced.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>7. Socialize<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you haven&rsquo;t seen your friends since the breakup, you have to! Get all posh and fancy, fix yourself up, go out and have fun. Paint the town red!&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This does not mean searching for a new relationship. It just means having some fun with people that care for you. Gradually re-socialize and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/how-to-meet-new-people-after-break-up\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">meet new people<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>8. Focus on you<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the main things to consider in how to get closure after a breakup is to think about yourself. Become obsessed with the powerhouse that is you.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focus on yourself for a while. Take on a hobby or take a new class. Spend time with your family and friends. Plan that trip that you have postponed so many times.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>9. Don&rsquo;t generalize and compare<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We tend to compare any possible future partner with our ex. Please don&rsquo;t do it. You expose yourself to thinking that every relationship may end like the previous one.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/counseling\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marital counseling<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tells us that every relationship is different. Start from scratch and strive to make it better than the old one.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>10. Picture being over your ex<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to get closure after a breakup?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if it is the hardest thing to do, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5351796\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">visualize<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> a new life without your partner. Imagine a reality where you are no longer enslaved to your partner and his gravitational pull.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You&rsquo;re independent, and they no longer matter. Out of mind and out of sight. What would you do? What have you been missing out on? Visualize it and then make it a reality.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-65838\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/focus-on-you.jpg\" alt=\"Smiling Happy Woman Pointing At The Camera With Both Hands And Her Head Tilted To The Side With A Playful Expression And Focus To Her Face Over Grey\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When-to-get-some-closure\"><\/span><b>When to get some closure?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Closure needs to be about moving forward healthy and about personal growth. It shouldn&rsquo;t be about revenge or manipulating your ex. Or about simply checking something off your psychologist&rsquo;s list of demands.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You should <\/span><b>get closure when you are up for forgiving yourself and acknowledging your mistakes and those of your ex<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This will make the breakup process easier and help you move on.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, getting closure is also about improving as a person and future partner. You need to grow and recognize errors made on both ends.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each of us deals with tragedy differently. You can only <\/span><b>seek closure when you feel you&rsquo;re up to it.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It&rsquo;s not something anyone can force you into.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You&rsquo;ll know when to get closure because you&rsquo;ll be ready to feel better. This will help you become a stronger partner in a future relationship.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Until that happens, enjoy your Ben &amp; Jerry and binge-watch a Netflix series; don&rsquo;t sabotage yourself by trying to cross something off a list.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span><b>FAQ<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><b>What is an example of closure in a relationship?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gaining closure is more challenging than saying one, two, three; it takes time, and, worst still, you&rsquo;ll never be 100% <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/get-over-a-relationship\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">over the relationship<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, all the unanswered questions can lead to stress and insecure thoughts for someone who has been ghosted. But if they can surrender to the fact that the person does not deserve their time and attention anymore, they can attain closure.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Wrapping-up\"><\/span><b>Wrapping up<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ldquo;Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.&rdquo; &ndash; <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dalai Lama.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting closure is an important part of ending a relationship. Grieving is the first step after any breakup.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take all the time necessary to process a loss. Come to terms with the fact that the relationship is over. Learn from your mistakes. Know your worth. Closure entails this all!&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Breakups are unbearable and hurtful, but you shouldn&rsquo;t remain anchored to pain. Marvelous things will be waiting for you right around the corner.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to get closure after a breakup can be a complicated process. Getting a closure is not a solid step-by-step process, and there&rsquo;s no easy guideline or quick manual to follow. But life goes on!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":""},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A sense of failure, frustration, heartache, and unanswered questions usually comes to bear at the end of a relationship. It can be overwhelming.&nbsp; We often feel like we&rsquo;ve hit rock bottom and our love life is over. Kaput! Waves of confusion can overtake us, and we might not know what to say or how to act. We may get trapped in a maze with no exit in sight.&nbsp; These descriptions might sound overly dramatic and cruel, but so is letting go of a loved one. Moving on without closure, and gaining its recuperative power, is key to getting over that <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1419,"featured_media":65835,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2502],"tags":[2606],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65604"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1419"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65604"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65604\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":105224,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65604\/revisions\/105224"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65835"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65604"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65604"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65604"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}