Conversation

Breakups and exes

• Rebound relationships: what they are and what research saysA rebound relationship starts soon after a breakup. Research on them is thin and mixed, and some of it is more positive than most people expect.
• The no-contact rule after a breakup: what it is and when it helpsWhat the no-contact rule means, why people use it, what the research does and doesn't show, when it isn't practical, and a plan you can set up in ten minutes.
• Your ex on social media: follow, mute or unfollowShould you unfollow your ex? Your options (mute, unfollow, block), what one study of 464 people found about checking an ex online, and what to say if asked.
• How to break up kindly and clearlyHow to end a relationship with respect: where to do it, what to say, why a clear reason beats a vague one, what to skip, and what to expect afterward.
• Knowing when it's time to end a relationshipNot sure whether to leave? Patterns that point to ending it, what to try first, what research says about doubts and therapy, and what to do if it isn't safe.
• Should you get back with an ex? How to decideThinking about getting back together? Why it ended, what has changed, what research on on-and-off couples found, and how a trial period can work.
• Can you stay friends with an ex?Can you be friends with your ex? What research says about why people try, when it tends to work, when it doesn't, and the boundaries that help.
• Dating again after a breakup: when you're readyWhen to start dating after a breakup: signs you're ready, what the rebound research says and doesn't, how to be honest with new people, and how to pace it.
• How to get over a breakup as a guyHow to get over a breakup: what the first weeks are like, how long it takes, whether to go no-contact, daily routines that help, and when to get support.
• Should you text your ex? How to decideShould you text your ex? Honest reasons for and against, a quick check before you send, example messages, and what to do if she doesn't reply.