10 Unusual ways to get over a breakup

Because we are so irritatingly cursed with a little thing called feelings, us humans will inevitably experience heartbreak at least once in our lives. And in the majority of cases, this is the result of a particularly painful breakup. But whether you were dumped or the dumpee, you can attest to the fact that although everyone will tell you that you'll eventually start feeling better, you can't help but believe that no one could have ever experienced such mental anguish before. Certainly, in the days, weeks and even months after a break-up, it may feel as if you've encountered phantom limb syndrome... of the heart. I mean, it's hard not to feel that way when you've become so attached to another human being that you've become familiar with their every quirk and eccentricity. And that's not even factoring in that you may have spent years learning about the daily minutiae of their lives, alongside their complex history with their parents, exes, and you name it. So we cry, and we pray and we beg that it will all go away. And it can at least start to get better with the help of these rather unconventional breakup cures. Go on, take a gander...

1. Getting new bedding 

Sure, this sounds weird at first, but when you begin to think about it, your ex would have spent hours, if not days sleeping in your sheets, and as such it would feel like a literal fresh start to be clambering into new sheets every night.

2. Buy yourself flowers 

Treat yourself to all of the things that your partner would traditionally gift you, like flowers and chocolates. It pays to show yourself some love too, from time to time.

3. Book a spontaneous holiday 

Being single gives you a great excuse to do whatever you want, without having to worry about a significant other. And this means it's a great time to fly solo and travel to all the places you have dreamed of. I mean, you won't have anyone else's itinerary to ruin your plans either.

4. Take the opportunity to do everything that they didn't like you doing

Did you ex hate it when you binge-watched stranger things for an entire weekend, or did they really despise sushi? Now is the perfect time to do all the things that your significant other prevented you from doing.

5. Make a list of all the arguments you've ever had 

If you're still feeling pretty bitter about the whole thing, it's a good idea to compile a list of all of the things that you ever argued about. Not only does it show how incompatible you were, but it also highlights that things weren't always rainbows and sunshine.

6. Hook up with someone that's their opposite

Take this as an opportunity to play the field, you may even discover that someone who totally "wasn't your type" a few years ago is perfect for you now.

7. Make a lifestyle change 

This could be something as innocuous as taking up running or as dramatic as going full-out vegan, either way, it's going to provide you with a great distraction.

8. Get off your phone 

Take a social media detox. Not only will you not see their name and photo pop up on your news feed, but you can also use it as an opportunity to get out and about and do something different.

9. Do something that gets your adrenaline pumping 

Prove to yourself just how strong you are by doing something that you would never usually do. It could be watching a really terrifying horror movie or going to a theme park even though you're scared of rollercoasters.

10. View your relationship in a third person narrative 

Contrast the painful memories of your time with your ex by viewing them objectively in the third person. This is helpful because when you think about events from your first-person perspective, you're effectively re-living the feelings and emotions that you experienced at the time. As such, practicing self-distancing can help you clearly see why things went wrong and why you're better off single.

In other relationship related news, new research suggests that women are happier being single than men...