The Best Ways on How to Get Over Unrequited Love and Heal Your Heart

There are few of us who pursue relationships that haven't had strong romantic feelings toward someone who didn't return them. The other party sends mixed signals, doesn't return phone calls, or tells you they just want to be friends. It can be hard to accept this; you may feel anger, or feel guilty, or sad and anxious. Unrequited love is normal, and unrequited love hurts. If you are struggling to get over a love interest who doesn't feel the same way about you, read on to discover practical strategies that can help you heal and move on with your life.

Introduction to Unrequited Love

Unrequited love occurs when you develop romantic feelings for someone who does not feel the same way, causing emotional turmoil and negative feelings. Recognizing the signs of unrequited love is crucial to managing the pain and moving on from the romantic interest.

Because unrequited love hurts, it can impact mental health. Seeking help can help you learn to develop a healthy relationship with yourself and guide you toward healing and pursuing fulfilling relationships in the future.

Recognizing the Signs

Romantic feelings for someone or sexual attraction can happen suddenly. When we develop interest in someone else, we have a tendency to become emotionally invested, even when signs of mutual attraction are not present.

Learning to identify mixed signals and one-sided relationships can help you recognize the signs of unrequited love and help you to avoid the immediate danger of imagining a romantic relationship where there is none.

Paying attention to the other person’s feelings and actions can indicate whether your romantic feelings are reciprocated. If you notice that you’re the only person initiating contact or offering emotional investment can be a sign of unrequited love. With reciprocated love, the other person will want to spend time with you, and won't hide that fact.

Acknowledging the negative impact of unrequited love on your mental health and self-confidence is crucial to seeking help. Understanding attachment styles and how they may contribute to unrequited love can help you address underlying issues.

Managing the Negative Impact

Allowing yourself to grieve unrequited love and process your emotions is essential to healing and moving on. You may notice mental, emotional, and even physical pain as you come to terms with unrequited love. Feel your feelings, and understand that the grieving process can look different for everyone. You may be in mourning for a few days or a few weeks. In cases where it lasts longer, you may want to seek mental health resources to help to move forward.

To allow for the healing process to kick in, you want to avoid seeing the object of your affection in person or online. Unfollow their social media, and don't torture yourself by checking in on them. Also avoid maladaptive coping mechanisms like smoking or excessive alcohol use.

Seeking professional help from a mental health professional can provide you with the tools and resources needed to manage the negative impact of unrequited love.

Coping Mechanisms

Developing healthy coping mechanisms, such as exercise or creative pursuits, can help you manage stress and negative emotions and initiate the healing process. Some healthy habits that offer protective factors for mental health include:

• Get regular exercise
• Prioritize quality sleep
• Spend time outdoors when possible
• Spend time leaning on other relationships with loved ones, such as family members or your best friend, to help yourself feel connected. Good friendships can help you heal from romantic love
• Stay busy with preferred activities and hobbies to help distract from your feelings
• Practice mindfulness to help manage feelings of anxiety or depression
• Reach out for help if needed. This can include individual or group therapy, or support groups

Taking care of your physical and emotional well-being can help mitigate the negative impact of unrequited love on your mental health, while engaging in activities that bring you joy and fulfillment can help distract you from negative thoughts and emotions.

Setting boundaries and prioritizing your own needs can help you maintain a sense of control and agency, while seeking support from online resources or support groups can provide a sense of community and connection. Focus on personal growth and self-improvement to help develop a sense of purpose and direction.

Staying Focused

Setting realistic goals and expectations for yourself can help you stay focused and motivated. Prioritizing your own needs and desires can help you maintain a sense of direction and purpose. Surrounding yourself with positive and supportive people can help you stay encouraged and motivated.

Engaging in activities that bring you joy and fulfillment can help you stay focused on the present moment. Practicing gratitude and appreciation can help you cultivate a positive and hopeful outlook.

Engaging in Self-Reflection Around Romantic Relationships

If you often find yourself struggling with unreciprocated love, social psychology and attachment theory may help you understand whether you may have an unrealistic view of romantic relationships or whether your attachment style is impacting your ability to build and maintain romantic love. Your feelings over the truth of the matter may be skewed, and a therapist can help you identify possible attachment style challenges that keep you from accepting real love.

With the help of a mental health professional, you can learn to practice acceptance and work on improving self-confidence and self-esteem in a way that opens the door for future healthy relationships and real love.

Healing From Romantic Feelings When they Don't Feel the Same Way in Chicago, IL

It can be difficult navigating unrequited love. If your love interest doesn't feel the same way you do, you may feel like true love will never happen for you. However, experiencing unrequited love is very common. If you are at the point that you realize that your feelings for someone are keeping you in pain and hope, and you want to accept reality and stop thinking about them, a mental health professional can help.

At Williamsburg Therapy Group, our clinical practice of doctoral-level Fulton Market psychotherapists allows you to work with a trained professional that can offer a variety of practical strategies that can help you learn to process your feelings, guide you toward healing, and move forward with the communication skills to find and build a healthy relationship with a new romantic interest.

With the right support, it’s possible to learn how to free yourself from unrequited love. If you have been thinking about seeking help, reach out to our customer service coordinator to get matched with a professional who can offer tools and strategies to restore self-worth and help you learn to enjoy your own company while staying connected with friends and family members.