Surviving the first 30 days after a breakup

The first 30 days after a breakup are the hardest. Your brain is in literal withdrawal. Here's a survival plan that doesn't require willpower you don't have.

Week 1 — triage

• Block their number, mute their stories, untag photos. Removing triggers is not pettiness — it's wound care.
• Tell 3 trusted people. Saying it out loud makes it real and gets you support.
• Eat protein. Grief tanks appetite; protein keeps your brain functional.
• Sleep with a podcast playing. Silence at night is when intrusive thoughts win.

Week 2 — protest

• You'll want to text. Open Loviu and rant there instead. Save your dignity.
• Do one physical thing daily — walk, gym, dance in your room. Movement burns cortisol.
• Avoid alcohol. It feels like relief and ends in a 3am text.

Week 3 — fog

• You'll cycle between "I'm fine" and "I'm shattered." Both are true. Don't trust either.
• Reconnect with one old friend. Loneliness during breakups is partly a social network problem.
• Start journaling 3 lines a day. Pattern recognition starts here.

Week 4 — first light

• You'll have a whole day where you didn't think of them. Don't panic that you "forgot" — it's healing.
• Try one new thing: a class, a route, a haircut. New experiences build a new identity that doesn't include them.

3am protocol

If you wake up in the worst spiral, don't text anyone. Open Loviu, voice-note your feelings, and let the AI talk you through it. It won't judge, it won't get tired, and it remembers what you've been working on.