#breakups

#breakups

Like snowflakes, every breakup is unique in its own (terrible) way. Did your sixth grade boyfriend really need to dump you via AIM and then put up an emo song lyric that was clearly about you? Did your long-distance girlfriend need to wait until you'd booked a trip to visit before letting you know she wasn't feeling it anymore? Curly_photo via Getty Images With uniquely bad breakups top of mind, we recently asked readers to share the most unforgettable breakup they've ever experienced.

In order to tell whether you have a haunting ex, ask yourself how frequently you think or talk about former significant others. Is it only when specifically prompted or relevant? Or do you tend to bring up your ex a lot? If your response to a friend or a date going to the bathroom is like "Oh, you're going to the bathroom, my ex used to go to the bathroom," then maybe, just maybe, you have a haunting ex.

You cried into your ice cream. You deleted the photos. You tossed out their hoodie. Maybe you even changed your Spotify password so you'd stop streaming your song. Now what? Breakups are brutal. And in the emotional wreckage, many of us do what feels easiest, whatever helps us avoid the pain. Often, that means finding someone new, fast.

A partnership between lovers, romantic partners, or spouses may suddenly end, usually initiated by one party and imposed on the other. Ending a relationship is often motivated by anger, depression, or boredom, alongside anticipating relief. The partner who desires to move on may be guilt-ridden about leaving. Yet guilt is a response to empathy about hurting another person and can be mistaken for a desire to continue a relationship.

When a friend doesn't seem to like your partner, it often stems from a place of genuine concern. They might notice subtle warning signs, like dismissive comments, controlling behavior, or something that just feels off, which you may overlook because you're emotionally invested.