Y'all Really Know How to Break Up

Let these stories prove that parting ways doesn't have to be totally traumatizing.

- VERONICA LOPEZ

In the classic breakup tale, there's the dumper and the dumpee, the villain and the victim. One person, often out of nowhere, cuts all ties while the other enters an ice-cream-soaked heartbreak spiral. And you know what? Fair. Breakups do sometimes happen like this, and they can be really freaking hard to get over.

But here's another truth: Sometimes the person initiating the split goes through just as much suffering as the one caught by surprise, says Naomi Bernstein, PsyD. Meaning, having the "upper hand" in a situation like this can feel like anything but. This also tracks when you really think about it, because relationships are wildly complicated - and proactively saying goodbye to them can be even more so. Chances of having a completely clean, angst-less split are pretty slim, but there are ways to avoid lots of chaos and hurt. Just ask...you, our Cosmo readers.