Let's Talk Breakups (Page 4)

Reader Question: What is the best way of breaking up with a guy without hurting his feelings and still be friends with him? -Belle (Massachusetts) Gina Stewart's Answer: Don’t hurt his feelings and still be friends? There’s really only one way to even possibly accomplish that and it’s called lying. You should tell the guy the truth. You don’t need to be unnecessarily mean, but give him the truth in what you...

Relationships end - it happens a lot. Sometimes seemingly before they get started, they are over. Endings come in all kinds of packages. Some endings are gentle and kind, but most are difficult and deeply painful. Endings can be full of rejection for one woman in the relationship and full of relief for the other woman in the relationship. Endings come through honest discussions or the discovery of a betrayal or an...

“Lots of things can be fixed, but many times relationships between people cannot be fixed because they should not be fixed.” ~C. JoyBell C. Have you reached that difficult moment in a relationship where you are forced to acknowledge that things are just not working out? If so, you may be struggling about how to end it. It’s seldom easy to leave, whatever the reason. It’s also debatable whether it is worse to be on...

In films and television, guys are typically portrayed as the more stoic gender. While this stereotype may have been based on real behaviors in the past, new research suggests men may now be more emotionally susceptible when a relationship ends. The study, which appears in the latest edition the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, found while women typically have a greater support system to help buffer a...

There are a lot of relationship blogs out there. Most are humorous ones that chronicle weekly dates or endless musings about the bizarre world of online dating. These stories are funny and entertaining, but I longed for more. I wanted comforting dating advice I could relate to when the loneliness started to kick in and it was too late at night to call my friends. So I would turn on my computer with the hopes of...

How much time do you need to heal after a breakup or divorce before you start dating again? Everybody is different and no one answer will be right for everyone. This five-question quiz will let you know if you’re ready to start dating again or not. 1. Do you want to date because your ex is? This is what I call the “me too” reason to start dating. It is not a good reason. Just because your ex has chosen to move on...

Guys, we’ve all heard the same line from lots of women, “All men are cheaters. It’s in their bloodline and part of their nature.” But what about women? And what do you do after the one who claimed your heart finds her way into another guy’s bedroom? I read a recent Fox News survey that stated around 70 percent of all men have engaged in some form of infidelity. For women, it was around 50 to 60 percent. This...

At DatingAdvice.com, we focus on helping daters find the relationship they most desire, but what happens when things go south and the relationship doesn't work out? Well, thanks to the help of our 10 Best Breakup Blogs, we're here to help you get through that, too! The following bloggers have seen all the ups and downs of a breakup, so they can help you heal, recover, and start again in no...

Maybe you’re feeling lonely, insecure, anxious or frustrated by your perceived lack of success with dating and finding love. Maybe you’ve experienced several bad dates in a row, lost a recent relationship or are just feeling disconnected from dating in general. Maybe you’re currently single and not happy about this current reality. You might be sexually unsatisfied and long for sexual chemistry and adventure. You...

Recently I’ve been reading a ton about a really worrying trend: breaking up via text message. We’re not talking about relationships that are only a month old either. We’re talking about people who have been together six months, a year or even two years! It's unbelievable. All of a sudden you go from, "I love you.....smiley face” to “We're done. I'm done. I can't do this anymore,” all in the span of a few days. I...

The more you try to stop thinking about something, the more you seem to think about it. It’s almost like the mind is rebelling against you. It’s especially hard when you are trying to not think about someone who you loved dearly and possibly still have feelings for. I mean, it’s hard enough you should deal with the pain of breaking up and learn to be single again. The best way to deal with obsessive thoughts about...

What do you do when all that’s on your mind is getting back together with your ex-boyfriend? Perhaps you made a premature judgment and terminated the relationship before you allowed it to mature. Or maybe you made a mistake and had an indiscretion that resulted in his leaving you. Whatever the scenario, fantasies about a reconciliation can drive you crazy without a game plan. What follows are some insights and...

In every relationship, no matter how many times you say, “I love you,” how often the chemistry ignites while on the dance floor or in the bedroom or how much you desire continuing into eternal bliss, one person always feels stronger for the other. Sometimes when a breakup is imminent, the balance of affection is so heavily tipped in the other person’s corner that you feel hesitant to let them go because of an...

Reader Question: I’ve been dating this one guy for almost two months, and he is completely and utterly in love with me. My feelings have slowly started to deplete. He was my best guy friend and asked me out, but it’s starting to feel weird and I just want things back to the way they were. Is there anything I could do or say to break up with him really easily? -Katie (Virginia) Dr. Wendy Walsh's...

Many relationships are beneficial, both emotionally and physically, until things go astray. You may have dated a girl for the past several months or even years before things fell apart. And for the foreseeable future, because she got to you like no other, you suddenly find yourself in uncharted territory. How do you cope so you can move forward and eventually open up to a new person? It’s all going to depend on...

He sits on his ass. He plays a mediocre video game for two hours straight. He picks his ear. He smokes from his bong. Then he turns on Netflix. Meanwhile, you’ve been sitting next to him on the couch this whole time – having a threesome with Beyoncé and Paris Hilton. Did he notice you? If this sounds like a typical Saturday afternoon with your man, then you both need to get your priorities straight because it...

You’ve been out a few times now with a charming lesbian. She really struck a chord with you when you first started to date, but now after a few dates, a dozen or more dates or several months of dates, you’ve realized you’re just not that into her. The trouble is she’s really into you and can’t get enough. This is where lesbian dating can get hard. Some of you just can’t take the step to say it’s not...

Reader Question: I had been dating a guy since January. We clicked immediately and fell in love. He told me he saw a future together. I told him I felt the same. I also showed him how I felt with affection. He left for three weeks with his friends in Las Vegas, visiting family and business meetings. We texted each other when he was away. When he got back, he broke up with me. I told him how I felt about us. He...

The restaurant scene is dramatic and screen-worthy. Woman drives by and sees in the window her ex-boyfriend dining with another woman. What’s worse is they are dining with a couple who had been their closest mutual friends! Rather than proceeding on and licking her wounds, she finds her body consumed with some unexplainable angry feeling. As if driven by some force, she parks her car, walks into the restaurant and...

When going through a breakup, do you turn to sad love ballads or angry revenge songs? Research suggests individuals are more likely to reinforce their feelings with matching music. Published in the Journal of Consumer Research, the study found when asked to recall experiences involving personal loss, participants showed a significantly higher likelihood to prefer sadder music. Researchers also found when facing...

Do you have trouble removing exes from Twitter or deleting old photos from Facebook? New research finds people have difficultly creating a post-breakup social media strategy. Presented at the CHI 2013 conference in Paris, the research was led by University of California psychology professor Steve Whittaker and University of Lancaster professor Corina Sas. Interviews were conducted with 24 participants aged 19 to...

Reader Question: I'm 18. I lost my first girlfriend. She broke up with me because I was a little clingy. We'd only been together for two months. Even though it was a short time, I fell in love with her. She doesn't want me calling or texting her. She told me she has a new boyfriend. I almost cried. I want her back, but at the same time, I don't want to mess up someone else's relationship. What do I...

I’m all about progression and moving forward in life. For me, it’s all about the next step, opportunity, move, etc. Looking back is only used for lessons learned. Reflecting on past experiences is for growing and comprehension purposes only, especially when it comes to past relationships. When relationships end, it's usually for a good reason. However, what about the relationship that ended when you really didn’t...

We’ve all been there. You were engaged in a relationship which started off great. The chemistry was electric from the first glance, the dates were long and ending too soon and the phone calls and texts were flying constantly with, “I miss you. I love you. Thinking about you!” You begin believing she could be "The One," until those little gut-wrenching voices start telling you there’s definitely something...

When you remain Facebook friends with your ex, it means they can keep tabs on you. They can see who you’re going out with and what you’re doing. Often they may reach out in the form of likes on your pictures or statuses. Tired of being tormented by your ex's Facebook teasing? Try a free trial of Match — our experts' #1 secret for getting over Mr. Wrong. And it’s no surprise it messes with your mind. You ask...

Reader Question: My ex-girlfriend kicked me out of her house in March 2012. The last time I talked to her on the phone was early December 2012. Should I call her? -Thomas (Missouri) Dr. Wendy Walsh's Answer: Dear Thomas, In a word: Why? Why did she kick you out of her house? And why do you want to get back with her? Think about the answers to those two questions before taking my next advice. If you...

Are seniors on the brink of a loneliness epidemic? A U.K. study suggests just that. The study comes out of the U.K.’s Office for National Statistics as part of the English Longitudinal Study on Ageing, which found 51% of baby boomers in the U.K. feel lonely due to divorce. Researchers connect growing loneliness levels with growing divorce rates for those over 50 years old, events also known as “silver splitter”...

Have you felt the hurt and betrayal of being catfished? Have you been in an online relationship with someone who wasn't who they said they were? Catfishing has been made famous through the MTV show and Netflix documentary, and it's brought to light a lot of what many of you have been experiencing alone. Catfishing involves an online romantic relationship that never manifests into a real-life romance because one...

Reader Question: I'm presently going through a divorce and am in desperate need of someone to talk to. I'm separated but not divorced yet, so I really can't "date.” Are there resources out there for someone in my position? -John (Pennsylvania) Dr. Wendy Walsh's Answer: Dear John, Divorce is one of the biggest life stressors and I understand your need to process your feelings with another person. I also...

Breaking up is never easy. It's tough to walk away from the time and energy you have invested into a relationship, but it still may be best to let go. In making this decision, there is plenty you should be aware of so you can take a better approach and be prepared for what you may be up against. Here are three things you should remember when breaking up is the next step. 1. Just be honest. Telling a lie will...