Growing up and falling in love is a part of the great evolutionary process. You meet someone who convinces you that eating a Big Mac will lower your cholesterol and someone who’s eyes are so blue you swear they wash your blues away.
But then you break up.
And in the most literal sense of the phrase, you feel your entire body shatter. Most people take a time-out of life, grieve and then slowly get back in the game.
Then other people, cling on so tightly they become what’s known as an “Ex-aholic.”
Yes, we all know one and you might have been one yourself. And if you’ve never met one and claim to have never been one, you’re probably one right now.
1. When you broke up, everything in your life went to shame
While it is quite normal to feel like your life has periodically come to a screeching halt, there is a fine line between that and the feeling that your life has ended completely. You feel like the center of your life, the reason for breathing, is gone. But I can assure you, it hasn’t.
2. You have found a different addiction to avoid withdraw
You now have casual hookups or have picked up alcohol to numb the pain of not having them in your life anymore. You’re willing to do anything to not feel empty anymore.
3. You've kept count of how many days it's been since you last talked
Most people after breaking up, cry and hurt but then they move on. Ex-aholics are more likely to count the days they’ve stayed away from them. They count how many days they’ve been “sober” like an addict would.
4. Constantly comparing new flings to your ex
Just because your ex changed the radio station every time a remix came on and said “We don’t listen to remixes” doesn’t mean every person you date after them will be the same. Maybe you secretly love remixes but you were so infatuated with them, you let them change it to the oldies station.
5. Everything reminds you of them
Yeah, that Polo Black reminds you of your first date and you hear a word that sounds like 'Sam' or 'Will' and you instantly fall back into the grieving of your relationship.
But fear not, ex-aholics — there is truly help out there. There’s a whole course you can take to help you get over your ex. It won’t be easy and it won’t be over in a night but one day you’ll wake up and realize how easily you can stand on your own again.
