Breakups are not easy. Whether it was initiated by your boyfriend or you, you might want to know what your boyfriend is going through after the breakup. In this post, we list telltale signs he is hurting after the breakup. Although it is best to let your boyfriend come out of the situation on his own, you can have an honest talk with him at the right time about what went wrong and how to move on with life. Read on.
12 Signs He Is Hurt After The Breakup
Keep a check on his behavior to know how he feels after the breakup.
1. He is silent
When he becomes unusually silent, it is one of the telltale signs that he is hurt after a breakup. He will not text or call anyone and remain silent and withdrawn for an extended period as his unspoken emotions remain trapped in his heart. This is the point at which the realities of the breakup will begin to sink in, and regret will set in. He could be repressing his guilt. Despite his outward silence, he could be suffering from the agony of separation.
2. He is in a denial mode
He may try to convince himself that you will rethink. Perhaps he still loves you and wishes you could continue your relationship. Even after the breakup, he will be concerned about you and frequently call or text you. He might even inquire about your well-being from your closest friends.
3. He enters into a new relationship
When he jumps into a new relationship despite not being emotionally healed from the breakup, it is one of the signs he is hurt after the breakup. It could be his coping strategy because the negative emotions associated with the breakup, such as hurt, anger, and guilt, are not easy to deal with. He might have entered into a new relationship to distract himself from the loss of his relationship with you.
4. He foul-mouths you
Post-breakup, friends and family may be curious as to why you broke up. He might be saying bad things about you due to unrelenting and unresolved anger. For example, he may disparage you as an inept partner, a liar, or a cheat, which may provide him a temporary boost in mood and confidence. Perhaps he is looking for sympathy because it makes him feel better, or he feels the need to justify the breakup.
5. He tries to stay in touch
One of the most telltale signs that he is hurt is when he seeks ways to communicate with you. For example, he may call, text, or share memes and breakup songs to evaluate your reactions, or he may insist on meeting. He may express how much he misses you or is eager to see you again. This could be due to the lingering pain of rejection, and he is still unable to accept the breakup and wallows in self-pity.
6. He takes refuge in alcohol
Another sign is when he acts carelessly, seeking refuge in alcohol whenever painful feelings erupt. For example, he might begin drinking, smoking, or hard-partying immediately after the breakup as a coping mechanism to distract himself from the grieving process or to block out painful and negative emotions.
7. He seeks revenge
In post-breakup angst, he may be unable to see clearly, lose his grasp on reality, and seek vengeance. For example, he might plot retaliation to teach you a lesson by trashing your reputation on social media platforms. He may blog, tweet, and email everyone on your friend list to sully you. When he resorts to wanton destruction of your property or even causes harm as he cannot accept the rejection, it shows he is badly hurt.
8. He seeks another chance
He could apologize to you if he feels bad about letting you go and regrets the breakup. It’s his way of making amends and convincing you to give him and the relationship another chance, even if it means reconciling to get back together. The apologies make him feel better and allow him to save face. It’s possible that he’s filled with low self-esteem, grief, and hurt and wants to express these emotions to you by apologizing.
9. He blocks you on social media
He stops following you on Instagram, Facebook, or Snapchat. When he blocks you on social media platforms and deletes all of your pictures after a breakup, it’s one of the most common signs of being hurt. Perhaps he is getting rid of memories that serve as anchors to the past, making the breakup process easier for him.
10. He pretends to stop thinking about you
When he avoids talking to you or thinking about you as a coping tactic, it is a sign that he is hurt. Furthermore, he may act as if he is over you, but he still loves you and cannot move on because of his fond memories of you. It’s possible that he’s sad and angry or embarrassed about not being able to work out the relationship with you.
11. He fails to express his feelings
When he is hurt after a breakup, he won’t process the grief and pain in the proper context. While recognizing one’s feelings and allowing oneself to grieve are important aspects of the healing process, he might not express his feelings. During the breakup, he might fail to recognize his feelings and process them as he loses emotional intelligence. He could withdraw into his shell.
12. He follows you everywhere
You may notice that he goes out of his way to be around you, whether it’s at a friend’s birthday party or a small gathering. You’ll see him popping in a coffee shop or a grocery store where you shop. He might even follow you home because he misses you and is unable to accept the breakup.
What To Do If He’s Hurt After The Breakup?
Consider doing the following things to make the breakup process easier for both of you.
1. Be sensitive to his feelings
One of the most important things to do if he’s hurt is to plan out what you say and how he’ll react. Thinking about his point of view and feelings, whether he’s sad, angry, or frustrated, can help you be more sensitive.
2. Help him cope with his emotions
Inquire with him about why he is hurt after the breakup. Is he regretting, hurting, or feeling terrible? Give sensible responses to him and make him understand that being together is not right for them.
3. Set boundaries if you want to be friends
It’s natural to feel empty and lonely, which indicates that he’s hurt after a breakup. To avoid the pain that both of you feel after ending a romantic relationship, you can choose to end it amicably and try to be friends afterward, of course, by defining boundaries.
4. Focus on yourself
Even if you’re no longer with him and he is hurt, it would help if you had closure. So, how do you go about finding the closure? The best way is by allowing him to process his emotions on his own while you concentrate on yourself because you also need healing, time, and space to recover from the breakup.
