5 Strange But Effective Ways to Get Over a Breakup

Breakups are at their highest during the weeks between Thanksgiving Day and New Year. We’re at the end of a precarious period, and some of us are undoubtedly victims of the trend. Fear not. You’ll hear from women who have handled their breakups in a way that is a bit different than the norm.

There are many ways of dealing with a breakup. From increasing your exercise schedule to going on an exotic trip, there are countless options. Some breakup rituals may be more extreme or unique than others. Some breakups hurt so badly that even a new hairstyle or a treadmill run won’t help. You may find yourself doing strange things to distract yourself from “he or her who shall remain nameless.”

This list of breakup rites is sure to entertain and inspire those going through a divorce. Whether you want a good laugh, some comfort in knowing that you’re not the only one acting a little out of place, or you need new ideas for moving on, you will find something here. Five women were interviewed about their unusual reactions to ending relationships. We also got the low-down on how to move on.

New Sheets Available

Alexis, 24, strips after her breakups. We don’t suggest she take pole dancing classes (although this would be amazing). She takes her bed apart. She will even buy a new bed when it is a bad breakup. In the last four-year period, she has replaced two mattresses, and not because their bounce had diminished. It sounds expensive, but it works. It’s also very hygienic.

Scrub the Floors

Callie, a 32-year-old woman, believes that breakups can be good for her apartment. “I focus on the floors. “I scrub the floors until I forget about him or until they sparkle, whichever is first.” She found that focusing on a specific task helped her to get her mind off her ex. Setting a simple goal that she knows she will achieve boosts her confidence when she completes the task. Our shoulders are there to comfort her next time she is having relationship problems.

Read the News

Facebook knows exactly how to make a breakup feel worse. Megan, 30, tried the usual blocking and unfriending during her recovery. But that wasn’t sufficient. Megan, like many of us, was addicted to her Facebook News Feed. But after the breakup, it became a painful habit. She saw only happy couples, and their posts were like salt in her wounds. She couldn’t stop scrolling, so she went to CNN. She would scroll the stories through just like she would on her News Feed to get all of her information. This information was useful and vital (no offense to newly engaged couples or expecting parents). It was strange, but suddenly, I read the news constantly, something I had never done before. Usually, I spent that time on Facebook stalking. It was easier to read about the unromantic and sometimes terrible things that were happening in the world rather than to see happy faces on Facebook. It was a welcomed distraction.”

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Get Lost

Vacations and adventures can heal a broken heart quickly. Ana, a 29-year-old writer, goes to a new place after a breakup. She doesn’t care if it is a foreign land or a neighborhood near her home. She just gets lost. She does not look at her phone or ask for directions. She wanders around until she feels cleansed. This serves to distract her from the problems at home and reminds her there’s more out there. Ana says that she wants to go somewhere where nobody knows who she is, who her ex-boyfriend is, or who “we” are. We think this method is foolproof; we’re sure she will not only return home with her ex but also with a new lover she met on her travels.

Watch Scary Movies

What is the best way to get over a bad relationship? What else but a movie night with ice cream and wine? Maria, 26, was unable to watch any movie. Maria did not stop at avoiding rom-coms (for obvious reasons that make you cry). She could not bear to watch anything that resembled romance or happiness. So she turned to the opposite: gore and guts. She became a fan of scary movies. She’s now over him, and she watches regular films again. Horror movies will always have a special place for her. Maria suggests The Village as a good distraction when you’re going through a breakup.