Huge depression. Stopped eating. Anti depressants. Slept alot. ( because MY addiction is people ! )

It sucked, because we still worked together on a daily basis and she was till living in a unit I owned, but I moved out, her new guy would ring at work. I focused on my kids and on my work, sorted my finances and left the company within 2 years, I was 2IC, but I could afford to leave and I knew she couldn't. She was a stunner and my confidence increased a lot from being with her, so I had no trouble dating after that.

Jumped into another relationship-wrong!

There's been a few certainly - but the worst one ever for me, caused me to hide away whenever possible. Along with much spontaneous crying and resultant swollen, red eyes (lovely !). I don't drink - so I just mentally floated off - becoming zombie-like , and hardly talked to anyone - unless at work.

At the time, I worked as a Vet tech, and whenever we did radiographs (x-rays) - I'd volunteer to develop them, and go in the darkroom and stay much longer than I had to - staring at the red light, and trying to escape reality ... My co-workers knew what was going on - and were sympathetic.

At times I thought about going the promiscuous route - but that would have meant being with people ! Ugh. It took a full six months to begin to act sort of normal again - but I never quite got over him fully.

Here's the real kicker : The man who broke me so badly - a few years ago, we re-connected on FB, He told me he's never really stopped loving me. He's still married to the woman he chose over me, and admitted that he chose her at the time - back in the 80's - because she had big money. Though I'm sure there's more to her than that. Well - at some point a few years back, she tried to commit suicide with drugs. She didn't die - but it scrambled her brain, and now she can't take care of herself too well. So HE has become her reluctant caretaker. Shit.
I recall a Dr. Phil line : " if you marry for money you earn every penny"

No point in goin' over what might have been ...onward !

Yeah, I remember. I tried to stay away from women for a while. I only went to karaoke bars. It usually worked but whenever a single lady did show up, I was just about the only single guy there. Thankfully it only took about 6 mos. to become sexually functional again, and by that time I had lost weight and worked out everyday, so my dating options improved slightly. It took a little longer to get my head straight though, so I wound up dating several head cases with pretty faces in a row. Somehow I managed to stay single long enough to figure things out (7 years).

Its funny to realize that our friends were actually hers. Hmmm... had to change my AA group. Find another AA retreat to go to. I like the new one better..lol. lost some weight. Started looking great. Dating was not a problem when I started getting out again. Hey.... I have been told that there are a million ladies out there just waiting for you.... it's true. If your a good guy ... it's not hard.

Cut my waist length hair and buzzed the back. Then dated a guy with hair to his waist for 7 years. I've never done that Since, although I did a pretty good job if I do say so myself! Wine helps! Lol

Never had that break up. I am so damn fucking weird. I felt the eyes on me. And I realized this break up is that break up that will define the rest of my life. So I got me a stable of one night stands and availability sex without lowering my standards while she got herself a musician BF. I don't know what she did but BF was mad when they broke up. "Some lovers are better at hello, others better at goodbye". My heart has no conscience and little memory with a very short attention span after the scent of the woman leave my nostril. Uncle taught me "Never give the Bitch the satisfaction". Other than that I will treat every woman in my life with respect and admiration. I just won't keep the altar up once she opts to check out. Wouldn't be fair to me or to the next one. I don't bluff, not even in Vegas.

Four times and each time I listened to this guy.

I'm suppose I'm the bad one who got "even" (is there even such a thing?) and used my brain to cause some rather funny karma.

I got very organised. Sat down and worked out what I had to do to stay financially afloat. planned weekly menus, cooked food and put some in the freezer. Made sure i found time for excercise and mudic practice Pretty much carried on as before with work and my musical committments but also withdrew from pretty much everything else. I didn't tell anyone that she'd left me for months -combination of embarrassment and feeling ashamed.
Getting my head around it all now

Hibernated for a year. Dreamed about him for a year. Gave up on romance. Underwent some shifts of personality. Admitted some things to myself. Learned some things about myself. Decided relationships are not for me.

Not because one "got away". Because I realized that last "one" should have never happened in the first place. I wasn't being honest with myself, and I ended up blowing a huge bubble that way.

Now I know better.

I moved out of state. My coping mechanism is to get as far from the ex as possible.