We’ve all been there. The tears, the pile of tissues, and the half-eaten container of ice cream. The basic definition of a breakup. 

Here are five ways to cope healthily and come out of the healing process better than ever. 

The first and best thing to do is feel your own emotions. When the breakup is fresh in your mind the best thing to do is be sad or mad or however, you are feeling.

According to Medical News Today (8 benefits of crying: Why do we cry, and when to seek support) crying is a natural human response and it’s best to just let all the negativity out. 

This does not mean that you should sit in your sadness for an extended amount of time, but let yourself feel the pain. 

When you’re ready to begin to heal, the best thing to do is get rid of things that remind you of them. 

Freshman Alex Sayo said, “I get myself away from anything that reminds me of them like clothing, jewelry, and memorable things.”

From personal experience, I recommend collecting all of the things that they gave you and put them in a bag to return. 

I also decided to change my perfume for a little while, so I didn’t think of all the times he told me he liked it. It was also a small way for me to change my identity post-breakup.  

If you really need it, you could also block them on social media and block their phone number after saying the final goodbye. 

Cheerleader Delaney Ziegfeild said, “When I ended my relationship, I decided to block his number and socials in order to keep myself away from the toxicity.”

This doesn’t mean that you have to hate your ex for the rest of your life, but it can be good to take some time away from them in order to heal on your own. 

Just like the stages of grief, anger towards your ex will eventually come. 

So the third step is to feel it, but don’t let it go too far. 

What I mean by that is it is totally normal and healthy to be mad at someone because it didn’t end up working out but don’t let the anger drive you to become a different person. 

For example, when I got broken up with, I was pretty angry with the way that things had ended. But instead of letting the anger push people out of my life and take away my personality, I had to keep the final goal in mind. 

Of course, the final goal after a breakup can be different for everyone and every situation, but to put it simply, the goal should be to be happier after them than when you were in the relationship.

Another thing to keep in mind is friends will tell you  “it will get better” or “you’re going to find the right one eventually,” but right now you only want them. I get it.

But, it is important to remember that whatever you are feeling won’t last forever. It’s just part of the process. 

One day you are going to wake up and not feel the heartbreak anymore. But you have to keep yourself out of the “breakup slump”. 

Make sure to eat well, drink plenty of water, get enough sleep, keep up on schoolwork, and do whatever you can to keep your stress levels low. 

This is your reminder that the world keeps spinning without them and you only live once, so get out there and feel the breeze. 

Like I said before, take the time to be sad, but then go out and be free. Now you can talk to whomever you want, do whatever you want, and not have to factor in anyone else’s opinions.

Keep your head up high, keep close friends nearby, and keep them out of your life!

You deserve to be happy so get out there and make it happen!