Poor, Gotye. Have you learned nothing from the heartbroken crooners before you? Sure, the heartache and gut-wrenching pain of staying connected to an ex-partner makes for Grammy-winning music, but did you really want to put yourself through that? I say, why not just thank your ex for ripping the band-aid off quickly, and keep moving forward?
We’ve all been there, and it is never pleasant. Love gone bad is enough to make us wonder why we keep putting ourselves out there. Not only does it hurt emotionally, but researchers have shown that break-ups can cause physical pain as well.1 Unfortunately, when it comes to the end of a relationship, there’s no Magic 8 Ball to tell us when the grief will subside. However, research shows that staying in contact with your ex-partner can prolong the pain and slow the adjustment process.2
As it turns out, having contact with a former