Approximately 60% of Aussies have experienced a traumatic event at one point in their life, according to studies from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Traumatic events are most often linked to physical violence; however, psychological abuse can also be the cause.

Ending a relationship can be the beginning of a downward spiral of an emotional breakdown if you don’t take care of your mental health. In fact, anxiety, depression, regret, and even broken self-confidence can last for weeks or even years if not properly tended to. Here are four tips for protecting your mental health after a breakup. 

Understand How Breakups Can Affect Your Mental Health

Breakups are not always painful, but when they are, they can be terrible. The diathesis-stress model states that if a person is already predisposed to a mental disorder, a stressful life event will most likely trigger poor decisions. Experiencing a stressful life event such as a breakup might be the catalyst to other mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and even having difficulty in forging new relationships in the future. 

Spend Time On Yourself

Relationships often become toxic to the point of affecting your daily life. It is important to pause and reflect on what is important to you and weigh the pros and cons of being in a relationship at this point of your life. Leisure activities such as being with friends, splurging on yourself, or even spending on your loved ones can do wonders to improve your mental health. Think of the act of giving a gift when your partner felt stressed out: it gave you a proactive way to support them while making them feel loved and cared for, resulting in feelings of greater wellbeing. The same is true when you give gifts to family members, regardless of whether there's an occasion to celebrate. Focus on hobbies or interests that you enjoy. After all, couples tend to spend the majority of their free time with each other, eventually losing out on what they once enjoyed for themselves. 

Be Compassionate

While it is unavoidable to have a certain flashback and replay events in your mind, it is important to understand that being hard on yourself will only make things worse. Self-compassion is a powerful tool that can help us view ourselves in a positive light and filter out the negative emotions that may keep us down. Acknowledging your faults and mistakes is just one of the first steps in accepting the situation and building towards a better future. 

Make Future Plans

You might be less than willing to leave your sofa, but texting your friends and family to make plans is one of the best things you can do for yourself. For many people dealing with a traumatic breakup, the times that they are alone can be the toughest moments as they remind them of the time they spent with their partner. Make an effort to schedule activities to keep you busy and create structure.  

Everyone processes breakups differently. For example, it may take you longer than you expected, or you may find yourself processing your feelings in a way that looks different from what you first imagined. Time is a great healer. Take things slowly, and recover at your own pace. 

This article was kindly written and contributed by Cassie Steele.