Do Genders Handle Break Ups Differently? (Part 2- Girl’s Perspective)

There are songs and comics about this theory of how men and women handle break ups so I decided to ask about WordPress to see how well it holds up, check out the Male Perspective from last week if you missed it!

First Tarnished Soul hits us with some hard truths:

“I have never broken-up with anyone, and I am in the process of making a first attempt at breaking up with my wife. I have always had other people break up with me, and I always handled it pathetically and sought validation for myself in truly self-destructive ways. As I face the reality that my current relationship is unhealthy and just wishing she would end it, I have come to accept that the only person that can create the change I want is me. With that being said, I am still not handling it very well, but I am not intentionally doing anything self-destructive. That’s not to say that I don’t feel bad and that I don’t want to do something rash and stupid and pathetic, because those feelings and thoughts are there. But I am trying to do something utterly different – forgive myself and accept myself as I am. Hopefully, I will come out the other side a better person.”

And Biryani offers us this to mull over:

“When it all came to an end, I only felt one thing. Relief. Pure relief! It had been a truly bittersweet moment and while I was upset, I felt more frustration at myself for not ending things earlier. This slight indifference towards my ex obviously helped in moving on. But the most important thing was deleting his number, blocking him on social media & deleting all his photos from my phone. This can seem like a huge step to take so quickly, but it is the only one that helps. You need to be FREE of your ex. All traces of them should be erased, think of it like a detox or rehab session! Go cold turkey and ditch that unhealthy part of your emotional diet.

The second thing is to realise that it is not the end of the world. I was optimistic about enjoying my new single life and so I did. I went on holidays, spent time with my family & did whatever made me happy. Still, it took me a year and a half to be ready and willing to date again. This millennial age is fantastic, there are so many ways to be introduced to someone. But before you get to that stage, remember to enjoy yourself and be happy. Because nobody has the ability to affect your life after they have left. You’re in charge!”

Interestingly enough it’s Soul’s response that most closely matches the man’s supposed coping mechanisms from Bentley’s song. She doesn’t give a specific example of ‘sleeping all day and leaving the house a wreck’ but she does talk about being rash, stupid, and self-destructive.

I also see some similarities in Tommy’s response from last week and Biryani’s response above. Tommy mentioned being at peace and I think that speaks to being free of your ex and taking time to yourself to be happy all on your own. Both talk about a clean break to detox from their exes, deleting all pictures and messages, and no messy in-between friends/ lovers business post break up. So maybe men and women don’t handle break ups as differently as we thought.

Overall, I think there are some amazing messages in here from our fellow bloggers about accepting yourself, believing that you have the power over your own happiness, and to take the time to feel confident enough to stand on your own before going into a relationship.

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Do Genders Handle Break Ups Differently? (Part 1- Guys Perspective)

The idea for this article came to me after hearing the song “Different for Girls” -Dierks Bentley in which the lyrics talk about how only guys get drunk at a bar looking to take a new girl home or acting tough punching walls and turning into slobs. I wanted to know if the song was right and decided to reach out to two wonderful men in the blogger community for their input on breaks ups!

Tommy says:

“As Neil Sedaka famously sang, breaking up is hard to do. However, I’ve been luckier than most in that regard. For one, I’ve always been the initiator (although the last one was a tie). It’s definitely easier than being on the receiving end. It’s even easier if you’ve never been in love (which I wouldn’t mind finding someday). My relationships have trended on the shorter side; ending a longer one with more emotional investment would undoubtedly be more painful.

But so far I’ve been largely at peace with things after a breakup. After multitudes of rejections, it’s a nice feeling to know that someone was willing to go further and explore things with me – even if it didn’t work out in the end. The hardest part for me is trying to remain friends afterwards. I’ve tried it each time, but don’t think I will in the future. It’s a difficult area to navigate without things getting awkward and uncertain. For me, a clean break with no contact is the way to go, otherwise how can I completely move on?”

And Paul adds:

“Breakups. Well, bloody hell! There are things in my life that have been more difficult and much more important to deal with. This is a fact I’m consciously aware of—and yet, I have always managed to allow breakups to override absolutely everything when they happen.

I’m unfortunate enough to have experienced being broken up with on numerous occasions and, at the time, I thought nothing could possibly feel as bad. That was until I had to end a four-year relationship and I realized how much harder that is than being dumped. Hurting people hurts. Telling somebody they no longer fit your lifestyle… to me, I might as well be driving a knife through their heart and, subsequently, my own. It’s horrible.

Even if the breakup is for the best and you both know it, they’re extremely difficult and they’ll play on your conscience (provided if you’re blessed with a conscience). You’ll question everything. You’ll procrastinate wildly over what your life will lack without your partner in it. You’ll think of all the good things they do and the happy times you had with them. You’ll constantly weigh up the pros and cons; constantly try to talk yourself out of going through with it. It’ll play on your mind day and night.

In conclusion, breakups suck! Unfortunately, sometimes, they’re absolutely necessary…”

Both men seem to agree its easier to be broken up with than having to do the actual breaking up. Paul points out how difficult it is to know you’re hurting someone you spent so many years loving. Tommy agrees to this point, which contradicts the song’s idea that guys can just forget about an ex, just switching off their emotions and finding a new girl to distract them like a flimsy Band-Aid.

Of course, Tommy brings up being ‘at peace’ with most of his shorter relationships and perhaps he would go out on a boy’s night after such a break up. But he’s not drowning in alcohol or being swarmed by women in order to get over or forget these break ups. And Paul certainly not punching walls as the break up debate goes on in his head and things of all the good times with his ex.

Maybe the song got things mixed up and it’s the women who drink their exes away? Check in next week to hear from some WordPress ladies!

(Also the song might not have mentioned being friends with your ex but I did, check it out! )

Deserving

I’ve been gone for a year now

Isn’t it time to finally let me go?

you’re so needy for attention

but I had nothing to do with who you decided to love

You know I deserve more than just sleepless conversation

Men gift me with their time and effort

You know I deserve more than you

She loves you like you loved me

And you know you deserve her

-June 2017

I Outgrew You

There is no ghost of you in my bed

He left to fill her sheets just like you did

So don’t hit me up late night wanting me to fix you

You choose your words carefully

Every line directed at her

Peppered with your vulnerable desire

I am not her stand in, I am not your second choice.

-June 2017

Love You, Love Me Not

I could love you if you let me

but you keep me outside your heart

my fingertips stroke at the pulse of your vulnerability

No, I guess you’re keeping your heart safe for someone else

My thoughts race for hours stirring up all the ways I don’t measure up

I’d drown in self doubt if Sleep didn’t take mercy on me.

Your heart beats for her but will it bleed?

No flower petal or wishing star is willing to take that bet with me.

See loving you would be bad for my health

My heart would sacrifice me in order to make room for you

And without a home in yours, I grow weak and insecure

Starving for your love would be the death of me.

So this is self preservation baby

I’ve bled too much for you

It’s my life or yours,

and I choose Mine.

-June 2017

When I Leave

My memories were tinted from love

but now I’m realizing you’re just somebody I barely knew

so it doesn’t hurt that much to think about you

I finally figured out life has more to offer me

than you never giving me the time of day

you’ll be crying because you know it’s true

that you’re losing everything

while I’m only losing you

 

When I leave you’ll finally be off my mind

cause when I leave I’m leaving your heart behind

for all the hurt you did to me, it better hurt to miss me when I leave

 

-Jan 2013

PC

You’re Gone

I didn’t think you’d be gone so soon

kinda thought we might be headed for the moon.

Don’t really know why you had to go

was hoping you’d be the star in my show.

I wish you could have just been honest.

Were you scared, was it something I said?

Now I just need you out of my head.

 

-February 2017

PC