There's a kind of comfort that comes from the idea of closure, that there's some way to just turn off pain and return to life as usual. In the wake of a tragic loss or traumatic breakup, closure is the most common piece of advice you'll get from your friends, family, and most popular media too. It's what entire movies are based on, and it's embedded into our rituals of death, and our rituals of heartbreak.
While it's nice to think that there is a series of steps you can take to achieve this magical state where pain disappears and bad memories evaporate, there are many flaws in the concept of closure. In fact, psychologists, who once endorsed closure, are actually working to debunk the myth and teach better ways of healing.
Click through to see how closure became so popular, how it has led us astray, and find out what experts think the real focus should be when attempting the harrowing task of moving on.