I’m a licensed therapist in the Charleston and Mount Pleasant area, who works with individuals of all ages and demographics. I want to share with you some tips for moving on from a friendship breakup. It doesn’t matter how old you are, when you break off ties with someone you had cared for, it hurts and it’s important to take the time to acknowledge the sadness that comes with that loss.
My best tips for moving on from a friendship breakup
Treat it as a loss: Allow yourself time to grieve the friendship. Don’t just jump into another friendship. It will take some time to get used to the new norm.
Most things you do with your friend will bring up feelings, and you will need time to process those feelings. Replacing the friend with another one will not make those feelings go away. It will only delay the grief.
Consider removing any items in your home, car, work desk, etc., that remind you of them: You don’t need to throw them out. Place them in a box and put them somewhere not easily accessible or visible such as a closet or storage space.
Removing these visible triggers may help you feel less overwhelmed by the grieving process.
Consider removing any items in your home, car, work desk, etc., that remind you of them: You don’t need to throw them out. Place them in a box and put them somewhere not easily accessible or visible such as a closet or storage space.
Removing these visible triggers may help you feel less overwhelmed by the grieving process.
Filter your photos: Remove any pictures that you may have of them on your phone or computer. Seeing these images may trigger negative feelings. If possible, store them in a private folder or vault.
This may help you feel less scared and more in control of what you find on your phone when sorting through it.
Practice some exposure therapy: When you are ready and at your own pace, try to visit some of the places/events you and your friend enjoyed attending. This will help you work through those feelings, and you will feel more in control when you visit those locations in the future with other friends.
Remove or mute them from your social media: Removing them from your social media friends list might be one of the last things you consider doing, but it’s highly suggested to at least mute their notifications from popping up on your news feed.
I would also try to avoid social media for a short time if you’re not ready to remove them as a social media friend. Seeing pictures of them with other friends, seemingly happy, may cause you to feel abandoned, sad, and angry. Protect your emotions as you will be in a vulnerable state.
If you have any tips that you’d like to share, please write them in the comment section.
