Best friends are an important part of everyone's life. Friendships can define us, help us grow, and enrich our lives. However, things like death or a broken relationship can end a friendship, and these situations can leave you feeling lonely and sad. However, understanding how to recover and bounce back from situations like this is important to your personal health.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Losing a Best Friend Who Goes On With His Own Life
Step 1. Accept the fact that people can distance themselves from each other
Sometimes, despite the effort each party puts into the relationship/friendship, people stay away from each other. As you get older and older, you may notice that you and your best friend have different interests or goals. This is something that is perfectly normal and you shouldn't feel guilty about it.
- Be grateful and rejoice for the moments together with him. Even if your friendship ends or changes, at least you got to know him and grew as an individual from that friendship.
- Remember that you have limits. Whether he goes to another city, changes schools, or gets married, the effort you both put into connecting and being friends with each other will be limited. Don't blame yourself for your limitations.
Step 2. Try to meet new friends
Regardless of the loss you feel, don't let the sadness keep you from accepting new figures in life. Get out of adversity and try to make new friends.
Think about the character or criteria you value or want in a friend. Look for these characteristics or criteria in new people you meet. Feel free to invite classmates or coworkers to spend some time and enjoy coffee together. Add new acquaintances as friends on social media and message them
Step 3. Don't compare new friends with old friends
When you lose someone close enough, it's easy to compare new friends to old ones. Instead of getting stuck in a habit like this, identify the positive traits or characteristics that exist in each new friend and learn to embrace and accept them as a different individual, rather than using them to fill the void left by the "ex" best friend.
Open your mind when making new friends. Don't try to find the same friends as your ex. Open yourself up to new possibilities and make friends in unexpected places
Step 4. Take up a new hobby
One quick way to meet new people and keep yourself busy productively is to take up a new hobby. Join a sports club or team, or try a new sport, such as yoga or jogging.
You may still run into your ex-best friend, especially if they go to the same school (or do the same activities). However, don't let this stop you from enjoying new things
Step 5. Give yourself a chance to mourn a broken friendship
Regardless of the loss, you need to allow yourself to get up and process it. If you feel angry, let the anger be felt. Lament over the end of the friendship that happened so that you can end the sadness you feel and rise.
Even if he lives near you or attends the same school, you can get up and look back with joy instead of anger or sadness when you are able to put an end to previous sadness and disappointment
Step 6. Forgive yourself for the role you played in the breakdown of the friendship
You may feel guilty about not being able to fulfill your social obligations towards your friend, such as contacting them regularly or planning meetings. If you feel guilty about such things, you'll feel better if you can figure out how to forgive yourself.
- Try writing a letter to yourself acknowledging your “mistake” or role in ending the friendship. Explain why the friendship ended and forgive yourself.
- You can also reaffirm the apology daily by saying, "I forgive myself."
Step 7. Show courtesy when interacting with your ex-friend through other friends
If you both have friends you both know, show the former friend politeness and friendliness when you spend time with him and other friends. Also, don't badmouth him in front of other friends who also know him.
Talk to friends and explain what happened. If you don't want to spend time with them when your ex joins you, politely tell your friends about it
Method 2 of 3: Losing a Best Friend Who Passed Away
Step 1. Give yourself space and time to grieve
Everyone grieves in their own way and “at their own pace” so don't force yourself to get up too quickly from grief. Allow yourself the time you need to process the grief. Don't ignore the things you need to feel in order for you to recover.
Sometimes, you need to be alone. Give yourself a chance to be alone, but don't be too self-absorbed. Make sure you stay in touch with others and seek strength and support from friends and family
Step 2. Write a letter
When someone you love dies, it's natural to feel like you have a lot to say but don't have time to say it. Take note of these things. Writing thoughts and feelings for him can be a wound healer. Tell him clearly what he needs to know.
You can keep the letter or leave it in his tomb. If you want, you can also discard it after writing it. Do whatever feels most relaxing and relaxing to you
Step 3. Find a support group
When someone close to you dies, you can feel very lonely or lose someone you can rely on when you are sad or depressed. Join a support group in your city to find people who feel the same way or have had the same experience.
Support groups have people who are going through or have been through the same thing. They can empathize and understand what you're going through, as well as provide support and advice. The support group is also a safe place so what you share doesn't get spread
Step 4. Remember the positives
When experiencing a tragedy, you may focus solely on the loss you experienced. Try to refocus energy on positive memories with him. Think about the good times the two of you have had, and the positive impact it has had on your life.
Create something concrete to display those memories. You can make a photo collage or write down your wonderful experiences with them in a journal. View or reread the created work when you need a reminder, or display it in a prominent place
Method 3 of 3: Maintaining Emotional Health
Step 1. Keep embracing your personal support system
Don't distance yourself from friends and family members when you lose a friend in life. Instead of refusing help or support, accept and let the other person help you when he or she offers it.
If you isolate or isolate yourself, the loss will be more painful and have a greater impact. Therefore, surround yourself with the people and things you care about
Step 2. Take care of your physical health
Mental health can affect physical health. If you allow yourself to be in an emotionally unhealthy situation, you will be trapped in a cycle of misery and this will have an impact on your physical health. Fortunately, taking care of yourself physically has a positive impact on mental health. Exercising and eating regularly are positive steps you can take.
Leave the house for a bit each day. Try walking, cycling, or jogging. You can also open windows at home to get some fresh air
Step 3. Allow yourself to feel things
Encouraging negative feelings and not allowing yourself to feel them will not solve the problem. If you need to cry, cry. If you're feeling angry, it's okay to let someone know that you're angry. Also, if you feel better and begin to forget the hurt, don't feel guilty about the improvement or improvement.
- If you keep those feelings away and don't want to feel them, you'll end up stuck in the grieving process longer than you should. Feel what you really need to feel.
- Try journaling to express your feelings. That way, you can collect your thoughts in one place and revisit them when needed.
Step 4. Seek counselling
Loss (of any kind) can have an emotional impact. Counseling and therapy are great constructive options if you're having trouble getting past your feelings.
If you feel depressed or notice changes to your normal lifestyle (eg, lack of appetite or loss of interest in things you enjoy doing), seek help immediately. These conditions can signal mental health issues that need to be addressed
Tips
- Don't blame yourself for breaking friendships. Remember that everyone changes and develops, and this is not always a bad thing.
- Keep in mind that you'll likely see him at school or work, and make sure you don't say anything hurtful. Even if you're no longer friends, at least you don't have to be hostile to him.
