While it may feel impossible and certainly takes time to stop loving someone, it's absolutely possible to do just that. In fact, you may find that in no longer loving this person you open yourself up to the possibility of loving others — and even yourself.
Yes and no, according to experts — ultimately, it all comes down to how that relationship ended and how content you are in your current life. Experts say there are lots of valid reasons why a first love can be difficult to move on from. For one, you tend to go all in when your heart hasn't already been broken before.
It's possible to stop loving someone, but when you truly loved them on a deep level, you will only stop being in love with them, but you'll always love them. That's actually the beautiful thing about strong, healthy relationships.
You may not completely forget about the person you love. However, you may be able to move on. Eventually, with time and healing, you could appreciate the positive parts of the relationship without feeling pain. Know that however dark things may seem now, the pain from a breakup may not last as long as you might think.
How long does it take to stop loving someone? Every relationship is different, and the reasons to break up are various. So, there cannot be a fixed timeframe for you to stop loving someone. However, according to a 2007 study, most people move on from a relationship within 3 months (1).
But is it actually possible for love to last forever? The definition and duration of love can be debatable, but research suggests that love is frequently resilient – and, in some cases, it can last longer than a lifetime.
So yes, it's entirely possible to never get over someone "if you don't begin to take time out to have therapy and understand what you're doing and how you're feeling," Mutanda says. Spending time alone and 'dating' yourself is so important after a relationship. You need time to be you again, she says.
According to research published in The Journal of Positive Psychology, it takes 11 weeks to feel better after a relationship ends. But a separate study found it takes closer to 18 months to heal from the end of a marriage. In reality, heartbreak is a grieving process - and it looks completely different for everyone.
Recently, it was discovered that, on average, people spend about 18 months of their lives getting over breakups. The good news is that, although it takes time, people are able to move on. And when they do, they leave behind lessons, actual, tangible, lived-experience ways to heal. Because, eventually, we do heal.
Unrequited love might be bitter and painful, but it is also the ultimate expression of your humanity. Don't fight it. If you have ever loved unrequitedly, then you know that living without any hope for a future with your beloved is a bitter experience indeed.
There are many reasons why you may decide to stop loving someone—perhaps your feelings aren't returned, or maybe your partner repeatedly acts in ways that are against your best interests. Whatever the grounds, pulling away from someone you held such strong feelings for is never easy.
While 40% of people marry their first love, reunited or not, only 4% have a happy ending after reuniting. Additionally, 62% of couples who have reunited with their first loves believe that it led to a better relationship while 50% eventually break up again.
Your First Love Leaves An Imprint On Your Brain
Since your memory is much stronger during this period, you're much more likely to remember the experience of falling in love vividly. “Your first love is hard to forget because it leaves an 'imprint' on the sensory areas of your brain,” Bordelon says.
First loves are something you never forget as they are the first time you feel emotionally connected to someone. It's a great feeling to be able to be affectionate with another person and be a part of their lives. It's also a very new emotion that you go through and you need to completely trust the person.
If you're in this position right now and are unsure if you want to continue the relationship, it's important to remember that relationships can go through many different phases. Just because you have lost feelings right now, doesn't mean that you can't ever get them back.
Your feelings may change (or fade) over time as you learn how you can get over them, but it's doubtful that you will ever completely quit being in love with them. Many people think that they no longer love them because they have stopped longing for a physical attachment with someone.
The signs of a broken hearted man vary. When some of them experience heartbreak, they prefer to become loners until they heal from the pain. Others might decide to engage in other activities that keep them distracted until they are over the heartbreak.
Staying silent can also help you feel empowered. You're taking charge and showing your ex that you're capable of and willing to live life without them. Whether you're the one who was hurt or the one who ended it, cutting off communication after a breakup puts you in control.
Studies have found that men tend to deny their mistakes, minimize their faults, and blame their partners for the breakups. This leads to them spending the first few weeks of a breakup angry at their partner. What does heartbreak feel like for a man? Pretty much similar to what a woman feels.
Genuine love is profound—it does not come and go every now and then; it is something that is likely to last over time. This does not mean that love cannot fade away, but even when it does, it leaves some scars, or rather potential feelings that can flourish if and when the environment is conducive.
Unrequited love may take a few different forms, including: Loving someone who does not return those feelings. Pining for someone who is not available. Mutual attraction between people who are both in other relationships.