In a recent scientific paper, researchers tested three cognitive strategies to help people get over a breakup with a romantic partner. They studied 24 heartbroken people, who had been in the relationship an average of 2.5 years. All were upset, and most still loved their exes.
The recovery strategies:
- Negatively reappraise their ex — highlighting the ex’s negative traits.
- Love reappraisal — accepting feelings of love without judgment.
- Distraction — think about positive things unrelated to the ex.
Here were the results, according to the study authors:
- Negative reappraisal decreased love feelings but made participants feel unpleasant.
- Love reappraisal did nothing.
- Distraction did not change love feelings, but made the participants feel pleasant.
Read more about the study:
The best way to get over a breakup, according to science, on Time.com.
There is no mention of personality disorders in this research, and all of us at Lovefraud know that breaking up with a sociopath is not the same as breaking up with a non-disordered person.
If you’re trying to get over your involvement with a sociopath, you might want to check out the Lovefraud webinar:
Why it’s so hard to get over loving a sociopath and how you can recover.
