5 Ironclad Rules for Getting Through Your Breakup by Phoebe Fox l Breakup Advice l Advice on Handling Breakups l How to Get Over an Ex l Breakup Rules Everyone Should Follow l Breakup Rules l How to Handle a Breakup Like an Adult

A woman I know well - we'll call her my sister - took three years to break up with her boyfriend.

She knew it had to happen; they fought all the time, he didn't treat her the way she wanted to be treated and he didn't get along with her kids. But still, they put themselves through years of unnecessary pain, unwilling or unable to step away.

That's the horrific thing about breakups - often nothing's black-and-white. When our hearts are well and truly given, they can fight hard against ending a relationship that our brains may insist isn't good for us. And even if we're not deeply in love, it can be hard to walk away from something, however imperfect, when loneliness is the other option.

If you're beginning to realize the relationship you're in is headed for a dead end, here are a few guideposts to help get you through the worst of it.