I have a friend who recently got back together with her ex-boyfriend and regretted it afterward. The happiness was short-lived, and she felt as if she had given herself another dose of heartbreak for nothing.

This is the case for many other girls who choose to get back with an ex.

Let me first preface this by saying that many couples break up and choose to get back together. Some end up better for it. That is awesome, and this article is not directed toward those people. Everybody's story is different. Sometimes, things need to fall apart in order to come together stronger.

But there are people who consider getting back with an ex when the situation hasn't changed. There are good reasons to get back with an ex, and there are bad reasons.

Many people break up with their boyfriend or girlfriend, and once they miss them, they feel as if they need to get back together. Missing somebody should not be the sole reason you choose to get back together.

More often than not, you're going to miss your ex after you break up. That is natural. You spent a lot of time with them, and now they are missing from your life. But remember, just because you miss somebody doesn't mean you need them in your life.

Other people choose to run back to an ex because they are lonely. If this is you, not only should you not date your ex again, you probably shouldn't date anybody for a while. You need to be comfortable being alone before being with somebody else.

Don't get into the habit of relying on somebody else. You will never win in that situation.

Also, let me point out that reminiscing and reading old texts is a dangerous game. Talking to your ex about the good times you two had is even more dangerous. It's possible that you will start to remember old feelings and think, "Maybe I still have feelings for them. Why can't we just go back to how we were?" Don't.

These are NOT real feelings; they are memories. You are fantasizing about the past, not the present.

You can never redo the past, and nothing ever happens the exact same way twice. If you get back with your ex with the intention of it being the exact same way it was before, it will not work.

Like I said before, if you and your ex take some time apart, grow individually and fix any potential problems, by all means, get back together! I see no problems with that, and it happens in a lot of relationships. But if you're thinking about getting back with an ex for any reasons I listed above, reconsider.

Do not run back to what is familiar because you're scared of the future or of being alone. You're stronger than that.

Let go and have faith that better is coming. I promise you it is.