How to Deal with a Rejection by Someone You Love

Facing romantic rejection is the process of moving forward, which can be daunting and can take a longer time to accept. This process might be difficult, but with a powerful support system and some targeted techniques, you can start to heal and enter the next phase of your dating life. Whether you’re recovering from a recent breakup or supporting a loved one in the aftermath of rejection, you may find it helpful to validate your emotions and connect with both yourself and the people you care about. Today, in this blog we will find out about the ways to deal with how to deal with rejection by someone you love.   

How does romantic rejection affect your nervous system?

Experiencing romantic rejection might have physical effects on the brain. According to a study of reward, addiction, and emotional regulation systems related to romantic rejection, researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging to study young adults who had recently experienced unwanted breakups. When the images of their ex-partners were shown, the participants' brains generally lit up in the midbrain reward system. The pattern suggests that they might be neurologically in love even though they understood their relationships were over. The researchers will frequently note activity in the orbital frontal cortex that is typically involved in learning from emotions and controlling behavior. Furthermore, activity tends to enhance brain areas that will typically fire in people living with substance addiction. 

Moreover, these outcomes will illustrate the powerful physiological effects of romantic rejection. Beyond the brain, researchers have also found that rejection, breakups, and other forms of emotional trauma will inflict temporary damage to the heart. However, people might experience chest pain, shortness of breath, and other symptoms due to the weakening of the heart's left ventricle. For several people, heartbreak and breakups might be inevitable aspects of life. With this understanding, researchers also emphasize the potentially motivational power of rejection. Moreover, lost relationships will cause sadness and other negative emotions but the experience of rejection will motivate people to behave in ways that will protect the most crucial relationships.  

The aftermath of rejection: Six tips to move on

Learning to handle rejection will take time and the experience will have particular effects on mental and physical health. However, healing can be possible. Since you begin the process, consider the following six tactics and adapt them to your needs and goals. 

1. Validate your emotions

In the rejection, you may be sorting through a wide range of emotions which includes shame, guilt, loneliness, and social anxiety. However, these feelings may be uncomfortable but they are generally not inherently bad. By acknowledging so-called negative emotions, you can work through them and move forward with a balanced mindset. 

When those negative feelings surface, you want to allow yourself to self-reflect. 

For example: You can write about how you feel in a notepad, then call a friend or loved one or you can go on a walk to calm down and check it with yourself. 

Other than condemning various emotions, do consider reframing negative feelings as a reminder to slow down, be kind to yourself and attend to your needs in the moment. 

2. Stay Present and Allow yourself to look Forward 

By giving time to yourself, you can foster a deeper connection with yourself, your environment. 
As you heal from past rejection, the future can be a source of excitement and inspiration. Every connection or every rejection will be seen as an opportunity to grow, learn, and develop a clearer sense of how you would like to approach your future romantic relationships. 

If you choose to reenter the dating pool after the rejection, consider making a digital or physical vision board, documenting your relationship goals and sources of inspiration in clear detail. By using the power of mental imagery, visualization tools will clarify your relationship goals and provide a hopeful framework for the future. 

3. Prioritize basic acts of self-care

Regardless of your current circumstances, taking care of your basic needs will be crucial to your long-term well-being. The concept of self-care may sound obvious but when you are recovering from current rejection, daily acts of self-care will easily fall by the wayside.If you are struggling in taking care of your needs in the wake of a breakup or rejection then you may want to go back to the basics.If some days are more difficult than others, then consider being kind to yourself. Furthermore, self-care comes in many forms. Relying on the day, brushing your teeth, or getting outside for a few minutes will be acts worth celebrating.

4. Connect with loved ones

During this phase, since you work through your emotions, you might feel tempted to isolate yourself from others. Perhaps you must be nervous to open up about your as you work through your emotions during this time, you may feel tempted to isolate yourself from others. You can allow space for solitude and self-reflection that can become a part of your healing process, it can be equally valuable to connect with family members, friends, and other trusted people during this phase. Moreover, social connection will tend to be a natural antidote to loneliness which tends to be strongly associated with depression and other negative health issues.When you are ready you can reach out to someone you trust. Even small amounts of quality time will give you a much-needed boost, so consider scheduling a short phone call with a family member, a lunch date with a coworker, or another low-stakes social activity. You may or may not decide to discuss your romantic experiences with the person, but the interaction will enrich your day and in the long term, your life with feelings of joy and connectedness. 

5. Connect with yourself

If you want to accept romantic rejection and avoid feelings of self-loathing, therapists recommend taking a moment to reflect on your relationship with yourself. After all, you will be the only person who will fully understand your requirements, hopes, and thoughts for the future. While you will feel hurt by the rejection, the aftermath will offer an opportunity to tune in to your desires and deepen your self-relationship. This process of self-discovery will look different for everyone, however, the following activities will take you:

1) You can take a personality quiz to reflect on your strengths, core traits and improvement areas. 

2) Start a meditation practice.

3) Schedule your alone time for your self-education, hobbies or simply resting and recharging.

4) Take yourself on a date and you can try lunch at a new cafe, explore an art gallery on your own, or go on a walk through your favorite neighborhood.

5) At first, self-time might feel uncomfortable or awkward. Still, these exercises will help you to slow down, attend to your thoughts and emotions, and reconnect yourself before returning to the dating scene. 

6. Match with an online therapist

If you are learning to cope with rejection, moving forward will take a bit of time. While in some cases, you may benefit from working with a therapist to clarify your dating goals and improve your self-esteem and relationships. 

The Benefit of online therapy

When dealing with rejection, it can be tough to talk about your feelings with strangers. As the growing number of individuals, you may choose to use online therapy to attend to mental health from the comfort of your homes. This may make you feel more at ease when discussing personal challenges such as romantic rejection. Moreover, online therapy will also prove more flexible for your schedule since you can generally access it at a time that is convenient for you. 

Effectiveness of online therapy

According to research, online therapy will be as effective as in-person interventions. Moreover, treating symptoms of depression and feelings of loss like those that will occur after a breakup or rejection. Most people showed online therapy will be an effective form of treatment for those who are experiencing the negative impacts of romantic rejection. 

Wrapping It Up 

During the rejection, just the thought of your old crush or ex-partner will generate a host of feelings. With the support of your loved ones as well as your therapist, you can process the feelings and identify your requirements and goals for future relationships. Also, you may find it helpful to engage in self-care practices, connect with loved ones, and validate your emotions.