9 Steps How to Detach From Someone You Loved, Letting Go Ain’t Easy

Whether it is a toxic relationship with your family, friend, or a complicated romantic relationship, there comes a time you’ve to get emotionally detached and let go. Letting go and detaching from someone you loved is the worst part of the relationship cycle.

I know this is overwhelming to get a person out of your heart & mind. But, it’s crucial to detach from someone with whom you have an unhealthy relationship for the sake of your mental health and overall wellbeing. 

The question is how we can emotionally detach from someone we love so deeply. Before knowing the answer to this question, it is important to accept the reality of your relationship that is draining you mentally and physically and know what emotional detachment is.

In this article, I’ll discuss emotional detachment and provide you with 9 strategies and tips to detach from someone and guard your emotions and love. Read on to learn how to detach from someone.

What does detachment mean?

Detachment means disconnecting from the people that are causing you stress or anxiety. It means building boundaries to protect your mental health. Emotional detachment is the ability to end all emotional attachment or ties with your partner, and it is considered an act of self-defense.

Detachment from toxic people is healthy. However, it is not an easy process and takes time & effort. But by setting clear boundaries in your toxic relationship and detaching from someone you loved, you can avoid stress, disappointments, anger, and resentment.

Now you may have pretty much an idea of what detachment is; let’s move to its importance in a relationship and how you can detach from someone you love.

Why is emotional detachment crucial in a relationship?

Detaching someone is a daunting task, but it has far-reaching awards. Whether it’s an unhealthy relationship with one of the family members or an intimate relationship, emotional detachment can help you walk away from the complicated relationship and protect your affections. Because staying in a relationship with a partner who does not prioritize you and does not pay attention to you can cause untold harm to your wellbeing.

With emotional detachment, you’ll be able to go through and deal with negative emotions, become independent, move towards personal growth and make better decisions for yourself.

How to detach from someone?

If you are figuring out how to end emotional attachment with someone you loved, here are the nine steps to try now:

1. Know when and why you have to let go

First and foremost, find the reason for detaching from a relationship. Identify why you want to let go in the first place. It is hard to detach from someone without a concrete reason. So, find the root cause due to which your feelings have changed. After finding the solid reason, focus on progressive things, and the reason must be enough to help you slowly detach yourself.

2. Evaluate your relationship and the consequences of your decision

Now that you’ve decided to detach from someone you have loved, take time to evaluate your relationship with them. In addition, consider the consequences of this decision. Because detaching from someone will affect your family, social life, finances, and professional life. Both these things will help you solidify your decision.

3. Take a physical break

After making the permanent decision to detach from someone you have had feelings for, it is necessary to take a physical break. You can move out of the house, travel to a different city, keep yourself busy with new hobbies, or shift to a separate room if you’re living together. Remember that it may feel bad at the start, but it is best. Try to use your head, not your heart.

4. Set boundaries and step back gradually

Everything you’ve done can go to waste if you don’t set clear boundaries. Communicate with your partner and define the parameters & set clear boundaries. Emotional detachment can not come overnight. So, start taking baby steps to step back. You will not accomplish this if you rush yourself to make this overnight. So, step back slowly and let time do the magic.

5. Create a plan on how you’re going to move on

How are you going to move on? What’s the plan? Think of the future and figure out what you will do. Create a plan. You can seek help from the people you trust: it could be your family members or friends. Also, ensure your plan does not include them in your future goals. You’ve to become independent. 

6. Take a break from social media or even block them if needed

Everyone is using social media nowadays. You used to share the moments of your romantic relationship with them on Instagram, which can be a stressor at this time. 

Therefore, take a break from social media, you’ll see old memories, and people can ask questions about not posting these days that can trigger your feelings. Moreover, you can block them from social media if needed so you can no longer see their accounts.

7. Start some new positive routines

This is time to start new routines and become so good that you don’t have to depend on others. During this period, you may experience a range of emotions. It is good to write a journal to pen down your feelings and make them process in a healthy way. Besides, start meditation to reduce your stress, improve focus and diminish negative emotions.

Also Read: 7 Morning Rituals For A Successful Day

8. Let yourself grieve for a while

Emotional detachment or breaking up with someone follows with a lot of grieving. You feel bad, guilty, and grief. Don’t avoid this phase: it is OK to let yourself grieve and feel. It is completely normal to grieve. So, express yourself and release emotions.

Also Read: Learn How To Be Yourself In 10 Easy Steps

9. Talk to a therapist or life coach

Last but not least, seek help from a therapist or life coach if you’re finding it hard to detach from someone you loved. The professional can help you to maximize the process and teach you more about detachment and how it can be the healthiest decision of your life.

Also Read: Life Coach Vs Therapist: 5 Amazing Well-Regarded Differences You Must Know

Final Thoughts

Detaching from someone you cared so deeply about can be hard & needs strength but a rewarding one. If you’ve decided to let go of a toxic relationship, it does not mean you’re selfish; rather, you’re choosing to put yourself first.

When it comes to your mental health or physical health, self-care is the best thing to do for your overall well-being. Put the tips mentioned above into practice, give yourself time and see the positive change gradually.

If you’re feeling depressed and confused about leaving an unhealthy relationship, feel free to reach out to me by scheduling a free discovery call with me. As a life coach and mental health professional, I’ll help you in smoothing this process and teach you how you can make healthy emotional attachments in the future.