My girlfriend and I broke up today at lunch. I called her cell and long story short, it's over.

We've gone out for over a year, we've done everything together. We just aren't the same anymore. I went to England with a buddy for 6 weeks in the summer, and when I came back, it just felt weird. I gave it a couple weeks, but then it was still weird and distant, so we decided to break it.

I still want to be her friend, and her best friend. I still want to be able to confide in her, and I still want her to be able to confide in me. But is it even possible to be such close friends without going insane?

She's perfectly OK with the whole thing, she doesn't really feel bad about it. But what can I do in order to get her out of my mind as a girlfriend, but as a friend instead? Fuck, this sucks.

Is the fact that we feel different after 6 weeks normal? Shit, I hate this feeling.

Thanks in advance, S&A.

You mean dated? Or have you physically been out with her, in public, at dinner or movie, for literally over a year?

so you want to keep the emotional attachment, but give up the sex? isn't it usually the other way around?

seriously though, if she says she's cool with it, why are you asking us? you already have your answer.

That shit is a myth dude, it is an impossible goal.

Nah. There's a way of staying close and yet distant. Like in the way that you seen them infrequently, but when you do, 'tis like you're best friends. If you try and stay really close on a frequent basis, i dunno... I haven't had success with that but you could be different.

Spend about 4 months apart with little contact then after that try to build a friendship from scratch?