Female Behavior & 21 Things Girls Do After a Breakup to Feel Better

Having a relationship end is never easy to go through. Here are the things girls do after a breakup, and more importantly what they should do. 

Breakups can bring out the worst in people, eliciting erratic behavior and leaving a sadness that the one dumped will try desperately to get over. It’s no surprise then that after decades of dumps, many women have found similar ways of dealing with the post-breakup blues, and it involves more than simply plopping down in front of a romantic movie with a bucket of ice cream. But you’re probably wondering about the specific things that girls do after a breakup.

Instead, women have dictated breakup etiquette that involves sexing up their looks, having shallow sex, and letting their bodies sadly take the brunt of their anger. So in what way do women test the waters of post-breakup behavior?

The things most girls do after a breakup

Have you ever found yourself indulging in any of these things when you were still reeling from a breakup?

1. She changes her looks

Dyeing your hair can be a liberating experience post-breakup. This is also one of the top things women do after getting out of a relationship.

So why the dye? Women want a change after a breakup, especially if she was the one who got dumped. This change of going blonde, doing an ombre, or going a fiery red will wake her up and make her feel like she’s still sexy. Dyeing her hair is the easiest thing she can do to spice up her look.

A variation of this is to cut her hair. This is what some might consider a “drastic” change, as women are often attached to their hair, which is what makes this change feel so empowering. [Read: How long does it take to get over a breakup – 3 months and more timelines]

2. She’ll have a one night stand

Having a one-night stand is an awful, yet liberating thing to do post-breakup. Women have one-night stands for much the same reasons that men do: they want to feel desired, they want cheap and easy sex, they want to experience someone new, and they want to erase all memories of their ex, only if for a night.

While this may provide that sought after ego-boost after a nasty breakup, you may want to reconsider this option.

For example, you may be tempted to use a close male friend to fulfill this desire to be desired, but this may only confuse or muddle your friendship.

As good as it may feel at the time, you just might wake up the next morning feeling cheap and a little easy. Moreover, it isn’t fair to abuse someone emotionally, just so that you can justify your independence or your sexual prowess. [Read: 10 people you shouldn’t have a one night stand with]

3. She has a rebound relationship

On one hand, rebound relationships can be beneficial for you. Rebound relationships can be an emotional trip, but the importance of them is that they quickly show you that your ex is not the only person in the world for you. Being able to feel something for someone else after a breakup is a shocking and yet intensely satisfying feeling.

The downside? Rebounds rarely last. Since you are in such a state of emotional fragility, you’re not likely to trust your new relationship, nor are you willing to give it the proper time or energy it deserves. 

In fact, as much as you might like your new beau, you may still be incredibly hung up on your ex. Most importantly, and much like having post-breakup ego-sex, you are using someone else who may really be into you, just so that you can get over your last love. Not exactly fair. [Read: 13 questions to ask before getting into a rebound relationship]

4. She stops eating

One thing women do after a breakup is that they stop eating. Sometimes dubbed “the heartbreak diet,” this illness is not usually of the woman’s own decision.

This “diet” is likely not self-induced, but rather, an offshoot of depression that comes from the rejection and drastic change involved with losing a relationship.

A few studies found that women lose an average of 5 lbs. within a month of being dumped. The reason? When you become depressed or anxious, you begin to lack the motivation to eat and take care of yourself.

While your ex may have offered emotional security and a hell of a romp between the sheets, he’s certainly not worth losing your physical health over. [Read: 8 common post-breakup activities to avoid]

5. She’ll cyber stalk her ex

As creepy or unhealthy as it may be, it’s only natural in this age where people live their lives like a reality show online that the woman is going to want to stalk her ex-love after their relationship has ended.

She’s going to want to know what he’s up to if he’s talked about the breakup, what his friends are saying, how he’s looking, and of course: if there’s a new girl in town.

This is all a form of self-inflicted torture for the woman who’s freshly dumped. While this can trail down an unhealthy road, it can also be incredibly freeing to see that your ex has moved on and it may move you to pursue the same route. [Read: 6 big reasons to stop cyberstalking the ex]

6. Cry

It comes as no surprise to anyone that one of the most common things women *and men!* tend to do after a breakup is to cry.

Not only do they cry, but they also use this as a perfect excuse to bust out their favorite chocolate-themed picnic and binge on sad and sappy movies.

7. Binge eat

Aside from binging on movies, some women binge on junk. Opposite of #4 on this list, some women go the opposite direction and have a “sad binge” on junk food such as chips, carbs, sweets, and soda.

The reason? Eating brings us comfort, with some studies even revealing foods that can release dopamine.

8. Party

Men aren’t the only ones who run to booty-shake at the clubs after losing their lover. Women love to dance, so not only is this a fun release to let loose with the girls, but dancing can also release feel-good endorphins that’ll help you battle your breakup blues. [Read: 20 best questions to ask your ex after a breakup to find closure]

9. Complain to their friends 

Most people know that girls like to talk to their friends about their relationships, and that includes their breakups.

Typically, they will go over what happened in every little detail. They will dissect the relationship and try to figure out what went wrong. Her friends will lend a shoulder for her to cry on.

10. Drink a lot

Okay, not everyone drinks a lot, but some girls go this route. They might feel sad and lonely, and so drinking some wine every night might numb the pain of the breakup. Now, this is not a healthy thing to do necessarily, but it is something that they do nonetheless.

11. Shops

Most girls love fashion and shopping. In fact, some can be downright addicted to it. So, if a girl loves to shop, then she’s probably doing to do a lot more of it after she has had a breakup.

Whether she hits the mall or orders new clothes online, she breaks out her credit card to have a little shopping therapy. [Read: Breakup advice – The best advice you need and the ones that harm you]

12. Turns to social media

Now, this should be a no-no, but unfortunately, there are girls who do this. They turn to their Instagram or Twitter or other social media and complain about their ex.

She might talk about how she cheated on her or warn other girls about not going out with him. This can ruin his reputation – and hers – so this is not a very wise thing for a girl to do after a breakup.

13. Drunk texts him

If she is sitting around alone drinking wine on a weekend that they would normally spend together, then she might be very tempted to drunk text her ex.

Even if she’s out partying with friends, she still might want to pick up that phone when she gets home. But it’s never good to drunk text anyone. Usually, you will regret it the next day when you have sobered up.

14. Binge on Netflix

Not only can a girl binge on food or wine after the breakup, but she might also just curl up in a blanket with a big bowl of ice cream and binge-watch her favorite shows on Netflix, movies, or TV shows.

This is a good escape for her because it gets her mind off of her ex. She should stay away from romantic movies, however. Comedies are a much better choice because it gets her laughing again. [Read: Breakup anxiety – How to deal with it and overcome your biggest fears]

15. Badmouths her ex

Let’s face it, if you had a breakup, you probably don’t have a lot of nice things to say about your ex. Sure, you could have been blindsided and still pine away for him.

But if she wanted the breakup or if he did her wrong *like cheating or lying,* then she might go around talking bad about him. It could be to her friends, family, or as we said earlier, even on social media.

Things girls SHOULD DO after a breakup

All of the things we just mentioned that girls do after a breakup aren’t necessarily a good way to get over it. So, here are some of the things that girls should do if they want to move on with their lives.

16. Reflect on the relationship

When a relationship ends, it’s important to dissect it and figure out what went wrong. Did she choose the wrong type of guy again? How many red flags did she miss or ignore? What would she have done differently?

It’s important for the girl to learn from the breakup. Too many times, people will just keep repeating the same mistakes. But if she wants to have a healthier, happier relationship in the future, then she needs to do some reflecting. [Read: 16 lessons to recover from a breakup one day at a time and move on]

17. Eat healthily

While it’s probably her instinct to binge on junk food, ice cream, and wine, she should probably stay away from that.

Instead, she can use this time in her life to become healthier. She can reassess her diet and make some positive changes.

18. Hit the gym

Along with eating healthy, this is a great time to work out and strengthen her body too. When people are in relationships, sometimes they eat and party too much.

As a result, both partners can start to let themselves go. So, when a girl gets healthy again after a breakup, she will look her best to attract an even better partner in the future. [Read: Meeting a guy at the gym – 8 essential do’s and don’ts]

19. Get massages

Massages and spa days are a great way to relax and recharge after a breakup. It’s also a form of self-love and pampering. So, she should grab a friend – or a group of friends – and have some “girl time” – or even “me-time” if she wants to do it by herself.

20. Work on her self-esteem

People should always be trying to improve themselves, and this doesn’t just mean eating healthier and hitting the gym.

Working on your self-esteem and self-confidence is essential too. This is especially important if she was cheated on or abused in some way. She should be mentally and emotionally healthy for the right partner in the future.

21. Figure out what to do better next time

She should write down all the qualities of her ex that she liked and disliked. Think about how the relationship ended and why it did.

It’s important to do this so that she doesn’t repeat the same mistakes in a future relationship. If she doesn’t know what to do differently, then she’ll just end up in another breakup once again.

[Read: 11 things one should never do after a breakup]

It may not feel like it at the moment, and as much as you want to slap anyone who tells you this: life goes on, and your breakup will get easier.

Well, now you know the things girls do after a breakup – and what they should do. While you may not want to admit that your ex-lover may lose their special spot in your heart, odds are they will and you’ll be all the better for it – and you won’t even have to dye your hair!