When the breakup is mutual, it can help us find goals, perspectives, better outlooks, and whatnot! But, when the reasons behind the breakup are unknown or done without a complete closure, it can put us in great emotional turmoil. Eventually, moving on from such breakups is not easy, such moments keep on making us feel sad, angry, anxious, heartbroken, and depressed at times.
If you have such feelings for a prolonged period, it can be a sign that the breakup has taken a lot of serious toll on your mental health. According to a study, a post-break mental state closely resembles the symptoms of clinical depression.
Experiencing depression after a breakup can also be referred to as breakup depression or situational depression. In this blog, we will take a deep look at breakup depression or dealing with depression after a breakup.
Signs and Symptoms of Breakup Depression
Symptoms of breakup depression are often carried by feelings of sadness which can be mild to severe after the breakup. If the feelings are strong and carried for a long period, they can have negative impacts on overall mental health.
Below are some of the common symptoms of breakup depression:
Helplessness or hopelessness
gaining or losing weight
Major changes in appetite
Sleeping too much or too little
Loss of interest and pleasure
Worthlessness
Lack of energy or fatigue
Constant thoughts of suicide or death
Feelings of emptiness
Irritability
Slow moving
We all know that sadness is the human response to an emotional or painful event. Breakups can negatively impact mental health in several ways. It can also cause loss of self-esteem, loneliness, and distress. It can be a period of adjustment for many, therefore allow yourself some time to process your feelings and heal.
Risk Factors & Causes of Breakup Depression
According to psychotherapists, developing depression after a breakup can certainly not only be caused by the breakup but it can be developed due to other instances, such as
History of depression
Substance abuse or alcoholism
History of adjustment disorder
Lack of social support
Facing multiple stressors at a time
Breakup depression is another form of situational depression, and it can be triggered during the end of the relationship. Breakup brings a lot of changes in our life and it is not easy to cope with such feelings sometimes as you might have to adjust the living situation, finances, co-parenting the children, and more.
A breakup can be highly influenced by the way you see yourself. For example, if you are a student, you might not be able to concentrate or focus on your studies. A breakup can also alter the self-concept and disrupt the self-image.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Breakup Depression
Breakup depression is not considered an actual mental health term; therefore, it does not have any diagnosis process yet. But, that does not mean that you cannot seek support or help related to this.
You can try talking about it in front of a mental health professional and they can perform the diagnosis on the basis of intensity, frequency, and duration. To connect with a mental health professional.
Symptoms triggered by the breakup usually start improving after some days, weeks, or months. As time passes by, the situation keeps on improving, and we certainly start adapting to the situations slowly.
Treatment for Mild to Moderate Symptoms
If your symptoms are mild to moderate, you can easily handle them by practicing self-care or seeking the support of your loved ones.
Related Read: Effective ways to deal with a breakup
If your symptoms are severe, you can try talking to a mental health professional. Mental health professionals can help you in gaining a new perspective, change negative thinking patterns, find and establish new goals, and learn new coping skills.
Tips for Dealing with Depression after Breakup
Below mentioned tips can help you deal with depression after a breakup. The idea is to establish resiliency in you so that you can easily deal with stressful events in the future.
● Focus on your overall well-being
● Master the skills of problem-solving
● Start working on your self-esteem
● Create goals for yourself and work on them
● Take a step forward and start finding the purpose of your life again
● Allow yourself to process your feelings
● Try to adjust to the major changes
● Journal your thoughts
● Spend time in hobbies
● Try to stay occupied instead of ruminating over negative thoughts
● Exercise
● Spend time with friends
● Challenge the idea of self-concept
● Avoid social media for some time and stop checking up on your ex
● Set healthy boundaries for yourself
● Go easy on yourself and try to learn from your mistakes
● Do not isolate yourself, talk it out, and move on
I hope this blog helps you with the ways to deal with a breakup after depression. For more such content, connect with us on all social media platforms.
Thanks for reading!
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