Break ups are bad.
Even the good ones are bad. It’s never a nice thing to do, and it can take a serious toll on you. Sometimes when relationships end, situations can become volatile and handling the whole break up in the best possible way can be troublesome. When two people decide to part ways, it’s important that you take all the necessary precautions to remain safe, healthy and able to move on with your life. As hard as it may be at the time, it’s vital to make a conscious effort to focus on yourself and your surroundings to get past the bad stage. Of course, some break ups are much more serious than others for one reason or another, so it’s arguably more important to consider these things when this might be the case.
So with this in mind, here are some helpful ideas on how to keep yourself safe after a bad break up
Emotional Safety
Involve your friends and family
For any difficult situation, it’s so important that you’re surrounded by your loved ones. This doesn’t necessarily mean having a daily pow wow with every relative but keeping your closest friends close is a big part of the healing process as they can and will offer you the support you need. Having the ability to vent frustrations or just talk about your feelings will ensure that your emotional health remains as stable as possible.
Declutter your home
Physical memories can be damaging to your mental health without you even noticing that they are having an impact. Souvenirs from trips away together sitting on the mantlepiece, photos on the wall in the hallway, all manner of memories closely related to your relationship as it was should either be binned or stored if you so wish to make sure that you can clear your mind and move forward.
Create a new focus
When you experience a bad breakup, it can sometimes be difficult to take your mind elsewhere. Take the reins and train your brain to shift focus onto something else. Start a new hobby, begin a new activity with a friend, commence a new routine, read, paint, go to the gym, book weekends away, try new places in town, anything that will keep your brain active on positive things to defer the focus from the negativity of your break up.
Physical Safety
Keep your property secure
In some cases, especially when couples are cohabiting, you worry that your ex-partner may return or enter your home. This is a worry that you needn’t have and can be a big cause of anxious feelings post-break up. Some people take it upon themselves to take physical preventative measure, such as installing burglar alarms in Wigan or other areas, or even just having the locks changed. Peace of mind that you can be safe from trouble or aggravation in your own home can alleviate a lot of worries, so these are valuable investments!
Don’t act alone
If you are planning to meet up with your ex after a bad breakup, for whatever reason, be sure not to do it alone. This doesn’t mean that they are a threat or that you shouldn’t, but it’s wise to have back up in the form of a friend in case communication becomes heated. Aside this, it’s just nice to have the moral support in difficult situations! A helping hand can make certain you feel safe in sticky situations.
Changing places
When you are socialising or going out and about after breaking up with someone, it might be wise to consider changing your go-to spots. For example, if you both go to a local pub, perhaps try a different venue whilst the dust of your breakup settles. By doing so, you can easily avoid any confrontation or awkward positions.
Tech Safety
Digital detox
Similar to decluttering your home, it’s time to delete the digital memories too. Granted, if some people aren’t ready to totally remove photos and videos from their phone, you can always place them in cloud storage as a temporary measure. A digital detox of memories from your devices can act as a physical cleanse and contribute to your emotional safety during and following your break up.
Password protection
If you’ve been sharing your life with someone, it’s probably no surprise that you’ve shared a lot of private information with them, including important passwords to a variety of things. Following a bad breakup, it’s a good idea to change your passwords to prevent any breach of privacy to ultimately, keep you safe online.
Change contact
To stay safe, it would be a good idea to block your ex’s number to prevent any unwanted contact. Similarly, if you feel that being contacted from multiple numbers might be an issue for you, it’s an easy fix to change your own phone number for your own peace of mind. Whatever you decide to do, make sure it’s a decision that suits you and your situation.
Helpful? I hope so!
Breakups are bad enough without the added anxieties of feeling unsafe, whether that be in a physical or emotional way. Whatever measure you choose to take following your break up, take them with YOU in mind. No one can tell you the best way to keep yourself emotionally or physically safe following a bad breakup, but you can certainly lead the way in staying safe, clearing your mind and eventually, moving on in your own way.
