Letting Go of Your Ex (2023)
Dr. Cortney Warren, PhD, ABPP
At some point in our lives, almost all of us will go through an excruciatingly painful breakup that absolutely rocks our world. It may be so all-consuming that you feel addicted to your ex. Desperate to reconnect and understand what happened, you can become fixated on your former lover as if you need them to survive. As if your life has lost all meaning without them by your side. As if you no longer have purpose or value on your own. This experience often leaves us feeling depressed, anxious, and lost without a clear picture of how to move on—even when you desperately want...
It's been five years since our divorce and I am still entangled with my ex. Every time I feel like I'm making progress, he has a way of coming back into my life, messing with my mind and creating all sorts of chaos that I allow. My friends have gotten tired of hearing about it. My brother thinks I should just stop talking to my ex. But somehow, I always go back to trying to be friends or wanting to talk to him, being seduced by his words... his hopes that we can start over, while at the same time subtly manipulating me.
Change is hard. Change is scary. My ex is a known variable. I'm...
