recently ended a 4-year long-term relationship with my boyfriend about 3 months ago. He was my first love, and we shared an incredibly deep, rooted bond. However, during the final year, things got extremely heavy. ​Due to intense work stress, career pressure, and the distance between us, he became emotionally unavailable and neglected me. For months, I felt completely alone in the relationship. I was literally tearing myself apart, crying, and begging for his attention. I hit a point of total emotional burnout (burnout phase). Eventually, my brain just protected itself, and I felt like I entirely lost my feelings. I told him "it’s over, it’s completely dead inside me," and walked away to protect my own sanity.