Is there a formula for how much time it takes to get over an ex after a breakup? I’ve heard a range of answers from friends, from twice the amount of time you spent in the relationship to half that time. My Big Breakup of 2006 took me a year to get over after dating the guy for two, but I’m still fooling around with a guy I dated only briefly almost four years ago.

This discrepancy got me thinking—other than time, what are the factors that dictate how long it’ll take you to get over someone after a breakup? Are there relationship factors, like being in love, that add months to your healing time? Here’s my unofficial guide to the things that will tack on extra post-breakup Ben-and-Jerry’s-on-the-couch time, and the things that will have you getting over the ex and under someone else in no time.

Your friends hated him: – 2 months

This guarantees a few rounds of ex bashing whenever you need it. And when everyone you talk to agrees he’s a loser, it’s that much harder to reminisce about that one nice thing he did for you, that one time.

He broke up with you via MySpace: + 1.5 months

True story. This one is a hit to the ego, but remember—if he breaks up with you via MySpace, he probably would have proposed via text message, so you’re better off. Read More »