How to: Deal with Unrequited Love.

Writer: Shahd Mohammed

Photographer: Sarah Bahbah

Being in love with someone who doesn’t love you back is undeniably painful. It’s very tough to feel so deeply for someone and then realize they never felt the same way about you.

 

As hard as it may sound now, you can get over that terrible heartbreak you may be going through right now. And I am going to tell you how right now.

 

First of all you need to accept their choice. The worst thing you could possibly do in the case of unrequited love is to beg the person to change their mind. Begging will only worsen the situation; it won’t make them love you if that’s what you’re hoping for. I know it’s sad, but it’s true.

 

Second step to relief is giving yourself the permission to be upset about the whole situation. If you find out that the person you are in love with is dating someone, or they straight up tell you that they don’t feel the same way about you, it’s heartbreaking. You may be overwhelmed with sadness and dejection. Faking happiness and pretending to be okay for a while is one way to make you feel better, but it’s OK to be sad. It’s important to acknowledge your pain and give yourself permission to cry or be angry about it.

You should also take a break from that particular person. The best course of action for healing from an unrequited love is to put some distance between you and that person. Seeing them every single day will only make getting over them much harder. 

Also, go ahead and reach out to your close friends and family. Talk to them about what happened, then fully hear them out and absorb the comforting and encouraging words they have to offer. They’ll obviously remind you of how great and strong you are, and of how capable you are of getting over it. 

Unrequited love is the worst, but in the end, you deserve to be with someone who actually loves being around you. That person isn’t just going to pop in and out of your life whenever it’s convenient for them. They’ll actually work problems out with you, not leave you the minute things get too serious.