When Love is Not in the Air: Mending a Broken Heart

Douthit believes breakups can be a good time for re-evaluation and personal growth.

Douthit believes breakups can be a good time for re-evaluation and personal growth.

February is the month of love, relationships and telling the person you care about how you feel. But with love, sometimes come breakups.

Paul Douthit, Ph.D., Texas Tech Physicians, said a breakdown in a relationship can be a breakthrough for a new you.

“Some people do not change unless there is a loss in their life or if they are confronted with a negative situation,” Douthit said.

Embrace Change

“People like consistency, stability. They strive for comfort or do what they are supposed to do. But if you go through a breakup, it can lead to your best of times. Change is difficult for us. But change can be powerful.”

When a person goes through a breakup, pain is a part of the healing process. The breakup can be a good time to re-evaluate your life and needs for your future. When things don’t work out, take this time to ask:

  • Am I comfortable and safe in my relationships?
  • What did I learn from this relationship?
  • Am I stuck in my idea of what a relationship should be?
  • What do I want from a future relationship?

Pick Up the Pieces

By realizing you create your own goals and life plan, you can change a negative process into a positive one.

Douthit said it is up to the individual to stay positive.

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