The breakup of a relationship can be one of the more difficult experiences in a person's life. In its core a breakup means loss; this experience must be viewed from the perspective of the grieving process and all its emotional stages. When persons are confronted with loss they may experience very painful emotions, e.g. sorrow, anger, rage, shock, hatred, guilt, fear, despair, helplessness, rejection, jealousy, loneliness, longing, disappointment, and many other unpleasant emotions. It is important that those undergoing this process allow themselves to feel all the emotions that arise; otherwise, they will not be able to move on and integrate this loss into their lives. Dysfunctional symptomatic behaviour may develop. Using the qualitative method of scientific research, i.e. the phenomenological psychological method, the master's thesis aims to gain an insight into the emotions experienced by women facing a breakup. By means of semi-structured interviews conducted with six interviewees, I gained an insight into the emotions experienced by women when dealing with a breakup. Half of the interviewees had been left by their partners, while the other half were those who had decided to end the relationship; that way, an insight was gained into the potential differences in how these two groups experienced the breakup. When describing the emotions they experienced, the interviewees mentioned a number of emotions ranging from shock, denial, sorrow, anger, rage, guilt, anxiety, disgust, jealousy to rejection, as well as positive emotions, such as happiness, freedom, relief, joy, hope, strength. As for how they experienced it physically, the women reported crying, feeling tired, having difficulty breathing, vomiting, and feeling numb. Although a breakup can be a painful experience, it is nevertheless an opportunity for people to deal with difficult emotions, find their way back to their true selves, and start over.
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