How do you get over the post-break-up agony?

The only advantage of having your heart broken countless times is that you learn how to deal with heartbreak efficiently. An unexpected break-up (or any break-up for what matters) is a plunge into an anguish hell. The only way to come back with dignity and self-appreciation, is to gag your stupid heart (the one that got you into the big mess in the first place and will insist in doing ill-advised things) and let your brain take over the reins.

Step one: Meticulously delete all living trace of his being. Messages, emails, telephone numbers, photos. I did not want any remainders of his existence or any risk of texting/calling him in a moment of emotional desperation.

Step two: Write a dual list with undesirable features and the attractive ones. I then attributed a numeric number (one to five) to each one, according to the relevance they had for me. The negative column beat the other one by a few dozens.
I thought to myself that I might have been a bit unfair and went through the list exhaustively a couple of times with a clinical eye. I threw in a few more bits... his formidably hairy back to compensate his good hair; his nose that annoyingly reminded me of my mother (!) to compensate for his perfect smile; his lack of romantic gestures to counterbalance his godd kissing... and came up with a very compelling gap.

Convinced now that he really did me a favor, I only had to deal with the rioting levels of neurotransmitters in my blood stream. Lets face it. The withdrawal symptoms from highs of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine is just fucked. It makes your soul cry for chemical exorcism. So...

Step three: Replacement of the violent decaying supply of the neurotransmitters with a highly enjoyable activity. Taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or other antidepressants is out of question. They are too slow to kick in and have nasty side-effects. An activity will occupy the time and provide an aim. Luckily, in the beginning of the year, I accepted an invitation for an exhibition in August. I calculated that I needed to paint twenty pieces in ten weeks. Two each week. Hard work but not impossible. That will keep me conveniently busy.
(For added pleasure points make posh cleaning rags out of the expensive shirts you were going to fix for him.)

Step four: Maintain a good sleep pattern. A good night sleep is essential not only to function normally, but to achieve my previous goal. The only way to accomplish this is to drink a glass* of good Bordeaux, Rioja or Douro before bed and a precious sleeping tablet (please note this does not constitute an advice. Consult your doctor or pharmacist before you take any medicines).
*Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. The low levels of happy chemicals already have your system drenched in gloom, you really don't want to exacerbate the distress.

Step five: Maintain a good eating pattern. This will help achieve a correct level of neurotransmitters. (This is the worse bit for me... I tend not to eat when I am unhappy. So to compensate I also need a vitamin supplement).

Step six: Self-preservation and protection. Do not engage in revenge/ self commiserate sex. That would only hurt an innocent human being or, more likely, allow another tosser to benefit from your pain.
 

Reaching a goal, keeping busy, maintaining a healthy sleep pattern and eating well should set my pleasure centers in party mode. At least theoretically.

With the plan set in motion I went through the rough tides of post-break-up misery. I calculated- accurately- that by the end of the Summer, having had the exhibition and a little holiday in my homeland, I would be completely recovered from the pain (if not from my jagged pride).