Depressed After A Break-up? | Tips To Cope With Post-Break Up Depression

“There is an ocean of silence between us… and I am drowning in it.” – Ranata Suzuki

No breakup is ever easy. The end of any relationship can make us feel like we are drowning in a swirling sea of raging emotions. While many people seem to adjust to breakups quite easily and move on with their lives, some people may feel immense sadness and may deal with depression for a long time.

This prolonged sadness can swiftly turn into depression. The sadness is normal, the anxiety, and agitation are normal but when those feelings turn to hurt you more than your physical health, it can be dangerous.

Situations that cause us emotional stress like a breakup, a separation, or a divorce can trigger feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness (symptoms that closely resemble clinical depression). This can also be diagnosed as situational depression, a type of adjustment disorder. The emotions that a person feels in this disorder can last for more than 6 months to a year and to cure deal with post-breakup depression its important to know about the symptoms.

Symptoms Of Post-Breakup Depression

Post-breakup feels can range from mild to severe bouts of sadness. The response we feel after a breakup is difficult because “romantic love” releases the feel-good chemical in our brains and not feeling the effects of those chemicals can make us feel sad, irritated, agitated, and restless.

Our emotional side deals with breakups in a very different way than other emotional stress. Breakup emotional stress can release a high amount of cortisol, the stress hormone that can intensify the feeling of distress and anxiety.

Sometimes it is hard to differentiate between the symptoms of post-breakup depression or any other underlying conditions.

The Symptoms You Need to Look for Are:

• Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness
• Not sleeping enough or sleeping too much
• Loss of interest in activities
• Feeling sad and void inside
• Experiencing fatigue and tiredness
• Loss or changes in appetite
• Thoughts of self-harm or suicide

Like I said before, feelings of loss, sadness, grief, and agitation are normal. The end of a relationship can make you feel all these emotions as well as loneliness, loss of self-confidence, and loss of self-esteem but when you start to feel empty or hopeless, experience loss of pleasure in activities you love doing, and think of things like self-harm and suicide, then you need to understand that these feelings and emotions aren’t normal.

How to Deal With Post-Breakup Depression:

Breakups can change how we look at ourselves. They can diminish our self-image, self-confidence, and self-worth. To cope and treat post-breakup depression isn’t that difficult. The symptoms of post-breakup depression can be easily managed but if you feel you can’t do it on your own, then you can ask for help from a professional therapist.

Here are some self-help ways you can cope with a breakup depression:

1. Form A Social Support Network

In my previous blogs, I’ve mentioned that humans aren’t adept at healing on their own. We need social support to help in our healing process. Try to form a strong network of people you trust and love. Sharing about your experience can help you move on faster and heal better.

2. Self-care Is Must

I cannot stress this point enough! Pamper yourself as much as your heart desires. Taking care of yourself is your priority. If you’re not taking care of yourself how will you be able to care for others around you? Go to a spa, get a massage, go on a shopping spree – do things that make you happy.

3. Keep Busy

Find new skills to excel at, explore new hobbies, read a lot – just keep your mind busy. When we feel depressed, we lose interest in doing the things we love. This is the first mistake we make. Things we derive pleasure from are what make us lose ourselves in the swirling seas of negativity. When you feel dejected, go for a walk, meditate, or clean your house. Just keep yourself busy but don’t make it your coping mechanism. Do things that stop you from ruminating on your negative thoughts.

4. Exercise Plenty

Release the feel-good chemicals! Physical activity (running, jogging, swimming) can not only help us strengthen our immune system but also helps in releasing endorphins, which acts as our body’s natural painkillers and help in improving our mood. 15-30 minutes of physical activity can be helpful.

Other Than This, You Can Try:

• Getting plenty of sleep
• Making changes to your diet
• Learning problem-solving skills
• Improving your self-esteem
• Creating new goals for the future
• Spend some time with your friends

5. Suicide Prevention

In case of severe depression or have suicidal thoughts or your friend need immediate help, In case of emergency you can Follow These options:

• Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline anytime at 1-800-273-8255.
• Call 911 or your local emergency number.
• Listen to the person calmly and Stay with that person until the help arrives.
• Remove any harmful weapon or medication.

Breakups Can Be Hard But…

Sometimes they can be necessary. Toxic relationships can do you a lot worse than anything else. While ending a relationship can trigger lots of emotions and feelings, they are needed to help you become a better person. Breakups can lead you to work on your personal growth and take some time off for yourself to understand yourself more intimately and better.

It is normal to feel depressed after a breakup but if you’re still feeling depressed after weeks and months, then it is recommended that you reach out and talk to a professional mental healthcare provider here.

Mourning your loss is okay but it is also important to move on. Losing hope and faith in love isn’t going to solve anything. Appreciate what you have and remember, with fondness, what you had but don’t let it drive your future decisions.

“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.” – M. Kathleen Casey