Cold Turkey

I do not know what to do with myself. I have an itch that I cannot scratch. I feel like I have lost a part of myself to an amputation. I have gone through this a million times before, and it never seems to get easier: trying not to text my ex.

The temptation is overwhelming. Whoever invents the patch that curbs this addiction will be a gazillionaire.

More than a month ago, I ended my relationship. But day after day, I would text him or he would text me. It was as though we had never broken up. One of my cousins called me out on it by saying, “if your message inbox is dominated by one guy, you are not single.” Well hell. My inbox was only him.

Habits are hard to break and that goes for everyone. Right before his summer break, my brother was dumped. In a few weeks we will be heading back for fall semester and he still talks about whether to text her or not. The dumped has just as hard of a time kicking the habit as the dumper. I actually feel bad for him, though if he mentions her one more time, I’m going to kill him.

I have tried texting my girlfriends instead, I have let people hold my phone to keep me away from it, I have turned the stupid thing off…everything short of tossing the cell out of my ninth-story office window, I have tried. Unfortunately, I am dependent on it as it has all of my DD’s numbers…and my grandmother’s of course.

So what’s the solution? Slowly go crazy? That window is starting to look pretty good about now. Fortunately, like all of the times (and guys) before, the text messages will slowly come to an end. Of course, getting the phone company to block a number is never a bad idea. (One of my roommates did that once.) I think one-upping that with a restraining order could work even better. However, if you would actually like to remain friends with the person, simply saying, “I need a few days of me-time” is probably the best solution. Then have me-time with your best girlfriends and Jose, Morgan and Jack.

So I have quit texting my ex the old-fashioned way: cold-turkey. I hope it works but only time will tell. In the meantime, I plan on using my new freedom to focus on a prototype patch and also a lot of me-time with the girls.

Then I can try to stop talking to my ex via Facebook. But hey, let’s take this one step at a time.