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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

How do you get over a breakup?

16 replies

ThatsNotMyName001 · 20/11/2021 18:12

My DP told me yesterday he’s no longer happy and he no longer loves me. It’s over.

I’ve taken it very, very badly. How do you get over this? I’m borderline hysterical, I can’t think straight and I feel as if my brain is covered in fog. I’m absolutely terrified at the thought of a life without him. We have a house together, we’ve just sold both of our properties and only signed on for and moved into a 6 month rental last week (while awaiting our forever home sale going through) so, as people keep telling me, thankfully there is no mortgage together. Why let me leave behind my home, he’s now at the house and I’m with my parents. I’m beyond devastated. How do I get through this? Sad

OP posts:
peboh · 20/11/2021 18:14

First of all, allow yourself time. Don't try and rush the process of getting over it. You're currently grieving a life you thought you'd have, and you're allowed to do that. Do you have a good support system? Good friends to go for coffee or dinner with?
You will get through it, and your life without him will be better than you can imagine! This is just a bump in the road, and it's going to be horrible for a while, but I promise you'll find something better for you!

category12 · 20/11/2021 18:25

Sorry this has happened. Flowers

You'll get through it a day at a time, an hour at a time, a minute at a time, until it starts getting better. And one day it'll be ancient history to you.

Theturnofthepoo · 20/11/2021 18:28

You don’t just yet. It’s a grieving process that will be tougher via the amount of time together/emeshed lives. Accept it, lean on family and friends, slowly start to look up and plan again. But in the short term when it’s very raw - look after yourself - be kind to yourself and do lots of nice things for yourself, talk to family, get out in nature if you feel up to it and give yourself mental breaks from thinking about it all. So plan a fresh walk or watch a film and promise not to think it all over in that time just to give your mind a break.

You’ll be ok, it’s normal to feel shocked and sad, it would be weird if you weren’t. Was it expected?

ftw163532 · 20/11/2021 18:33

I'm sorry. Flowers

Time, I'm afraid - cliched as it is.

As pp says, you take it in small chunks of time - if 5 minutes is as far ahead as you can think then that's fine. Make a "plan" for those next 5 minutes and then when they are up make a plan for the next 5.

Eventually it will get easier. Your body can only sustain extreme emotional states for limited periods of time. Even when pain feels like it will never end it always does.

Stay in the present moment, don't go swirling off into the hypothetical future.

ThatsNotMyName001 · 20/11/2021 18:59

Thanks for your replies.

@peboh yes thankfully I have a support network around me. Not that any of it is making a single bit of difference at this moment, I know it’ll do me right when I eventually come to.

@Theturnofthepoo not expected in the slightest, and I guess it’s always 10x worse when the decision isn’t your own. He’d emptied half of our joint savings account before he’d even told me so I know he’s deadly serious.

@ftw163532 thanks for the point about the hypothetical future, you’re right. I think I’m heartbroken for what should have been as much as what was.

I really appreciate your suggestions Brew

OP posts:
Theturnofthepoo · 20/11/2021 19:33

Jees what a shock op. Sad

MadMadMadamMim · 20/11/2021 19:36

He emptied half your savings before telling you? And presumably this wasn't spur of the moment, yet he's let you sell your house.

Write a list of every single tiny thing that pissed you off about him. Every time he was less than enthusiastic, or let you down.

Keep reading it, and remind yourself that decent blokes don't behave like he has just done, and you are worth more.

Shasha17 · 21/11/2021 04:29

The first thing you do, is you remember that you will be okay, whatever happens, and also, that Future-You will be SO proud of yourself if you handle this with dignity, and SO ashamed of yourself if you grovel and beg and plead.

You remember that if you beg and plead and cry, you will seem very available. Your ex will feel like you're there at his beck and call, so he can go and do what he wants, explore being single, etc, and you'll always be there if and when he wants to come back. So he won't respect you and will feel he has all the power.

If you are really brave, and walk away with your head held high, your partner will probably think "Shit - did I make a mistake?" He'll know he doesn't have the power. He might panic. He will start wondering if he made the right decision. You'll be able to look back on this time with pride, as the time you walked away with your head held high, you had dignity, you showed him what he's missing. If you behave with dignity and grace, he'll probably always wonder whether he made a huge mistake.

I wish someone had told me this before one of my big heartbreaks! Of course, in a mere few months I no longer cared at all about ex, and had moved on, was happily single, could see the relationship with the benefit of hindsight for all it's flaws. But I was still SO ashamed of myself for how I handled it with such a lack of dignity. What smug satisfaction that must have given him!

Whatever happens, you will be fine. So you just act like you're not bothered, walk away with your head held high.

What he did was disgusting. He is a truly awful person to let you move in with him knowing he was going to break up with you. It's extremely cruel. In a way, you're lucky that he's behaved so hideously because you can start to feel anger. You need to be angry because if you're angry, it's easier to stop seeing him as the person you thought he was. Instead, you can be furious with him for the horrible person he turned out to be. I agree that you should write a list of all the things you don't like about him, or that annoyed you. Maybe write it here! Know that if he was willing to just walk away in such cruel circumstances, you actually had a really lucky escape. Thank God he did it now and not when you had a mortgage together, or when you were pregnant. If he is willing to leave you in such cruel circumstances, it could have been worse and you're better off without him.

Although painful, it's good that you're not in your shared home. You need to NOT be in a place where you have memories. Erase him from your life. Delete and block him from social media, and block his number. Let him know that he can't just come back to you as and when he pleases. Definitely DON'T meet in person "to talk". Every time anyone does this they end up sleeping together but not getting back together and ending up feeling worse. A clean break is quicker and less painful.

Read the MN classics. You will be able to see some really inspiring and encouraging threads. I remember one where a woman in a serious relationship was dumped by text absolutely out of the blue. She was heartbroken too, but with support from her friends in real life and other women on MN she totally erased him from her life - blocked him, didn't contact him again, cut him out. Came on MN for support whenever she had a wobble and wanted to contact him and was talked out of it etc. In time she was over him, while he started texting her realising he'd made a mistake and wondering why she hasn't contacted HIM. Which she ignored, of course. All very satisfying. She won, he will probably always kick himself and wonder what might have been.

And then you treat yourself. Spend a lot of time with your friends. Start some new hobbies. Join a gym, get a new hair style, go shopping, make yourself feel great about yourself. Maybe in time join a dating app just for fun, have a few casual dates to help you remember there's a whole world of interesting people out there. Maybe go on a trip.

You will be fine.

Come on Mumsnet whenever you feel weak or sad or like talking to him.

Oh, and there's an app you can download to block you from being able to call certain numbers from your phone after a few glasses of wine. I'm not sure if you drink, but if you do have a few drinks around this time, I'd strongly recommend downloading this app and putting in your exes number BEFORE you start drinking, as it will mean you can't wine-call him! (If you don't know his number off by heart, just erase it from everywhere to avoid this happening!) I have SO many friends who have managed do behave with dignity after a break up and then shattered it all after a few glasses of wine by phoning their ex and doing something embarrassing like singing heartbreak songs Bridget Jones style down the phone to them Grin

Flowers
ThatsNotMyName001 · 22/11/2021 11:21

@MadameGazellee, I’m going to save your post so I can read it over and over.

What amazing advice.

Unfortunately for me I’ve already done some pleading, so I’ve sort of lost in the dignity stakes.

However we’ve other things to sort out so I know I’m going to have to get some strength from somewhere to power through. Super test there is refusing to pay anything towards the joint tenancy we’ve signed for 6 months. I’m only thanking god it was a year!! Anyone any experience in what happens in this situation?

I want him out, he’s agreed to go but says if he does he won’t pay a penny. This is my hometown and he is not from here, I know I need him to leave and then I will likely never see him again. It’s going to saddle me with a nice £5k bill in the process mind so it’ll be an expensive lesson.

Day by day. Not sleeping much, not eating much. I’ll get there!

OP posts:
ThatsNotMyName001 · 22/11/2021 11:22

Super twat became super test… it doesn’t quite have the same effect Grin

OP posts:
Beebyonthewold · 22/11/2021 11:32

You will get there OP- I promise! You sound strong and practical, you will get through this. Of course you are in deep shock at the moment but give yourself time and you will surprise yourself. This happened to me and i felt my world had ended, but 2 years on I am still here and have built a new life. Just take it day by day for now Flowers

ThatsNotMyName001 · 22/11/2021 11:54

@Beebyonthewold - I’m glad you’ve gotten through it. I know I will get through it, just right now I’m in that awful pit of despair.

I’m scared to be on my own, I’m scared about a life alone and I’m scared I’m getting too bloody old to be doing this. He let me a right merry dance, I thought we had it made! 30 years old and back with my folks! Merry bloody Christmas Confused

OP posts:
Beebyonthewold · 22/11/2021 12:26

I understand the despair and fear well! And to be honest people telling me it would all be fine didn’t really help me in the early stages. It is scary at first and there is nothing wrong with you for feeling that way. Cry, wallow and get angry- whatever you need to do to get through each day. Gradually it will ease Flowers

ChiChi16 · 22/11/2021 12:32

Sorry you are going through this, i am in a similar situation. After his EA, he's decided he is no longer in love with me and is blaming me for things that happened over 20 years ago!
Please take time to look after yourself. You will get through this.
I wish you all the best x

Ilovelockdown · 22/11/2021 13:49

Really sorry - it must have been a huge shock.
There is some excellent advice in the posts, and you will come out on the other side.
Get angry, get savvy, get control of your money and make absolutely sure he hasn't taken anything that wasn't his.
Anyone who can put so much forward planning into leaving a relationship without communicating first is really not the sort of person you need.
Are you in a position to get on Rightmove and start to put your life back together?

Musttryharder2021 · 22/11/2021 16:05

[quote ThatsNotMyName001]@Beebyonthewold - I’m glad you’ve gotten through it. I know I will get through it, just right now I’m in that awful pit of despair.

I’m scared to be on my own, I’m scared about a life alone and I’m scared I’m getting too bloody old to be doing this. He let me a right merry dance, I thought we had it made! 30 years old and back with my folks! Merry bloody Christmas Confused[/quote]
I'm sorry this has happened to you.

Statistically speaking, most people end up pairing up at some point again in their life, and a life as a single person doesn't need to be dreadful, if that's what ends up happening.

Once the dust has settled, you'll be in a position to think about purchasing a property again.

Were you discussing marriage and children down the line? Unfortunately, it goes to show that it is impossible to guarantee an outcome with someone so whatever is of extreme importance, we need to ring fence it.

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