A rebound relationship is one in which a person enters a new relationship immediately after a breakup. Many believe that there should be a “recovery” period in between relationships, to allow one to process pain and negative feelings from a breakup. However, there is controversy as to whether this “waiting period” is necessary. Dr. Brumbaugh, the director of the Attachment, Emotion, and Relationships Lab at CUNY Queens College, invited 77 women who had recently ended their relationships to participate in a study. Some of these women had moved on and started a new relationship and others had not. They were all asked to take a survey to rate their self-esteem.
Results revealed no significant difference between those in a rebound relationship and those who remained single after their breakup, though people who remained single had lower self-esteem than those who immediately entered a new relationship. Brumbaugh explains that rebounds generally distract people from the depression and loneliness that their breakups leave behind. Additionally, social support from one’s rebound partner also helps her to cope with stress.
This is not to encourage you to immediately enter a new relationship after a breakup just to "heal." Rather, the point here is to suggest that you should not believe you “will never fall in love again.” You may be hesitant to love again because you do not want your heart shattered again or you are afraid that you’ll repeat the same mistakes. These thoughts are normal because we often catastrophize about our future after we are rejected. However, we should not let our fear stop us from giving love a second chance, for we never know when we’ll end up meeting our true soul mate.
Angie Lee, Writer
Source: Journal of Social and Personal Relationships