Breaking up with your partner is an emotionally tough time as you mourn your relationship and what could have been.
It can be such a huge life event that there are even said to be five stages of grief that the lovelorn go through after a split. These are are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and finally acceptance.
But a new survey has found that men are able to pick themselves up and get over the split a full four weeks before a female can.
DatingNews.com carried out a survey of 3,000 people to uncover how long it really takes people to get over a breakup and whether the healing process varies by gender.
And it found that men take on average 11 weeks to recover from a relationship break-down. Women, on average, will take 15 weeks – almost four months and four weeks longer – to recover and to be able to think about moving on.
This could be because women often process emotions deeply and take more time to reflect on the relationship. They may revisit memories and experiences more thoughtfully, seeking closure in different ways as they navigate their healing process.
The study also asked a range of questions to determine the factors in break up recovery. Participants were asked which activities helped you the most to move on after a breakup?
The top answer was spending time with friends and family, said nearly half of the survey respondents (49%). After all, family members are the ones who know you the best and can be very supportive.
That was followed by focusing on work or hobbies (26%), working out (12%), seeking therapy or counselling (4%) and finally travelling or taking a break (2%).
But some people went to extremes to get over a breakup with 8% throwing themselves into a rebound or revenge relationship; nearly a quarter (23%) getting a drastic image makeover, such as a new haircut or tattoo.
For those looking to accelerate the process of getting over someone, 50% of the survey respondents said that deleting all traces of their ex (e.g. photos, social media, even furniture) helped make it quicker, while 32% voted for hooking up with someone new straightaway.
And a further eight percent subscribed to dating apps the very day of the breakup. But almost one third said they regretted how quickly they’d moved on from a split.
Amber Brooks, from DatingNews said: “It’s clear form the survey results that men and women experience breakups differently, both in emotional intensity and the time it takes to heal.
“While men might lean on distractions and social activities to recover, women often take a deeper, more introspective approach. Both methods have their merits, but the important takeaway is to allow yourself the time and space you need to heal properly, regardless of how long it takes.”
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