When Is The Right Time To Start Dating Again After A Breakup?

The end of a relationship can be an easy-breezy situation if each person agrees that it's the right time to move on and both can do so in an amicable way. On the other hand, splitting up from a romantic partner can also be difficult for a wide range of reasons. For instance, the more you put into a relationship, the less you may want to give it up, according to Psychology Today. Beyond that, when a relationship ends, it can lead to feelings that are similar to what you might experience when you lose someone to death, with clinical psychologist Adam Borland, Psy.D., telling the Cleveland Clinic, "Both experiences may create feelings of shock. You may feel a sense of disbelief immediately afterward."

"You are likely to feel a range of emotions — fear, anger, confusion, and loneliness. Plans and goals you thought were set in stone may become uncertain, which can create anxiety," Borland adds. Along with noting that you might find yourself dealing with issues around who you are as a single person and what you might have to offer, Borland also says, "You may wonder if you'll ever find love again."

While it's certainly possible to find someone new, it turns out that there's a specific time to get back out there and start dating again. Although that time might be a little different for everyone for a very understandable and important reason.

While only you may be able to truly know when you're ready to start dating again after a breakup, you should definitely be aware of the fact that jumping into a new romance too quickly could lead to a rebound relationship. While some so-called rebound relationships can turn into something more long-lasting or even permanent, they tend to only last for a month to a year before fizzling out, according to Verywell Mind. That's why you might want to take a little more time before lining up your first post-breakup date.

"Most people need a month or two to process the breakup, to mourn, and to integrate lessons before jumping back in if they were in a fairly serious relationship," Paulette Kouffman Sherman, Psy.D., psychologist and author of "Dating From the Inside Out," tells Glamour. Of course, you might need more or less time depending on how long you were with someone and how committed you had been to the relationship before it ended, not to mention taking how you're coping emotionally into consideration.

Sherman suggests giving yourself enough time to not only get over the split but also to slide comfortably back into your day-to-day life, saying, "This way, you will feel whole and in high self-esteem before you go back into the next relationship and won't just be trying to fill that hole." In the meantime, you can try dopamine dressing to brighten your day some.