"The man will likely feel the loss deeply and for a long time as it "sinks in" that he has to "start competing" all over again to replace what he has lost, or even worse, as he realises that what he has lost cannot be replaced."
Why does it take guys so long to get over a breakup? Most likely because they aren't doing it right. Many men don't feel comfortable talking about their feelings with other men, which is a shame because conversations like "OMG, I can't believe it hurts so much" are a big part of getting over losing someone you cared about.
When a man gets his heart broken, it awakens his inner "bear." No, not a hairy gay man, even though it might make it easier to break up (and a lot more confusing). What I mean is that men like to hide away when they are in pain. So they are always sleeping. They want to sleep as much as possible because they don't feel any pain when they're asleep.
Men can find strange comfort in video games. Men can escape into video games, which give them a world where they can try to do things and, at worst, have to start over at a nearby checkpoint. They can feel safe in the game world.
Some men do this as a way to deal with stress, even though it's usually a bad idea. Men, on the other hand, are taught from a young age that they are supposed to fix things and always move forwards. So, if their last relationship can't be saved, the male way of thinking tells them, "You need to get out there and try again."
In the man's defence, his friends end up dragging him to a strip club more often than not. But trying to heal through an intervention in a strip club is a strange mix of #2 and #3. Like a video game, a strip club is a different way of life. It's a transactional arrangement, so the women let the men get to know them through small talk and dancing.
This could be the worst way for men to deal with a breakup.When a man is in pain, he sometimes just wants to hide from the world. He stops hanging out with his friends and going out, and he just stops talking to anyone else.