You feel like a new person. A new hairstyle can make us feel like a new person, not the person who was dumped or heartbroken. Or if we were the one who left our partner, we want a new look to not be the same persona that our partner had. It's all about starting fresh,” she expertly concludes.
“For a woman who makes a big change from long hair to short hair after a breakup, this change can signal a rejection of traditional norms for women's appearance,” explained Englen. “It can be a small way of challenging traditional gender roles as wel—a small act of rebellion.”
It can be a shield to hide behind, a canvas to express yourself and a message to everyone around you. A haircut can be more than just that; it can be a chance to regain control, discover your identity and move on. The post-breakup haircut is a well-known phenomenon.
Studies have shown that cutting one's hair (especially when going through a traumatic life change, such as a breakup) can provide a sense of control and emotional release. Changing one's hairstyle can also be a powerful tool in helping redefine or solidify one's identity. Even a simple trim has mental health benefits.
When it comes to post-breakup makeovers, both men and women usually change their hair. Whether it's a new cut, color, style, or even growing a beard or mustache--the hair is the usual target for drastic changes to one's physical appearance. It's not just a coincidence.
The experts in the article said you need to refind your identity after a breakup and that's why most folks turn to makovers. Our brains think by making that change, you'll be able to get over your ex easier because they will be jealous of the way you look.
Wellbeing coach Kamran Bedi says these changes in style reflect deeper identity crises that can occur around a split. “For some people, an end of a relationship can lead to a deep self-reflection around their own identity,” he says.
“A woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life.” Coco Chanel wisely uttered this quote, as she knew the power of a good haircut. That power she referred to is the confidence and sharpness of a new look and feel. It has become synonymous with breakups, new beginnings and the transformative power of change.
Hair holds emotional weight and memories, so much so that cutting it off can be a form of letting go of those memories that hold trauma, and a tool of empowerment.
Its not abuse to insist on a short and sober style for a boy. However girls should be discouraged from cutting their hair, and it's abuse to cut it very short. Shaving the head as a punishment is a form of abuse. Legally, cutting off a person's hair without permission generally counts as assault.
Cutting off one's hair is subconsciously a symbolic attempt to take control of one's thinking and make a change. It's therefore possible for hair hacking to be a symbolic “cry for help” from the subconscious mind.
Staying friends makes the split more difficult
There's a reason that couples aim for a clean break — it's easier on your heart if you have some space away from your ex and your former relationship. It helps you to take the time to heal and get on without your ex's presence in your life.
The revenge dress, an aspirational style that differs from person to person, is a means to break free from a sad state of mind and emerge as a stronger and more confident individual. After all, nothing says “look at what you've missed out on” quite like a hot new look.
A relationship or breakup limbo is when your ex leads you on by saying they don't want to be with you right now but will get back to you in the future. Your ex might do this to avoid confrontation and serve their own hero complex by softening the blow of the breakup.
Getting a haircut when experiencing a hard circumstance in life is a way to cope for some people. However, it is important to reflect on the relatively short-term relief taken from physical changes.
Hair trauma can cause hair loss. However, the hair itself does not hold a trauma, only the hair follicles that are exposed to trauma may be affected."
Children are perhaps most likely to develop a trauma bond when exposed to sexual exploitation and targeted grooming.
60% of men surveyed say they would rather date a woman with great hair than a woman with big breasts. And 78% of men surveyed consider healthy hair to be a turn-on. Now, the first thing that strikes me is that men are obviously drawn to hair that's shiny and healthy--and that makes complete sense.
According to said poll, if you compare your hair and your complexion, your hair is actually more likely than your skin to give away your true age. This means it's clearly in your best interest to keep our hair in tip-top shape once you're over the 40 mark.
A cropped cut can be a way to show the world how strong you are. "A woman with short hair is perceived as confident — not having to hide anything,” says Jo-Ellan Dimitrius, author of “Reading People: How to Understand People and Predict Their Behavior – Anytime, Anyplace.”
Some data (such as from self-reported surveys) do suggest that men recover from breakups faster than women, according to Paul Hokemeyer, PhD, a marriage and family therapist and author of the book Fragile Power: Why Having Everything Is Never Enough.
Studies suggest that most people start to feel better around three months post-breakup. One study, which evaluated 155 undergraduates who'd been through breakups in the last six months, found that 71 percent start to feel significantly better around the 11-week mark, or around three months.
Figuring out the difference between the two and how she feels is the key to potentially getting back together. As Chris Seiter puts it: “The good news was that yes, regret is completely normal after a breakup.