DR. WALLACE: A few weeks ago, my boyfriend of three years dumped me. This came out of nowhere and I was completely shocked. He barely gave me any details or reasons for this news. He told me he needed space and did not want us to talk to each other for a while. He also said that there was no way he saw us getting back together and he even warned me not to get my hopes up for a reunion.

Not only did this shocking turn of events leave me hurt and extremely confused, but I'm also unsure of what I should do next with this situation I now find myself in. Obviously, I miss him and still want to be with him but I'm also now so hurt by this entire situation. We never broke up throughout the relationship and we would typically work well through any minor conflicts we've had in the past together. It's now been two weeks and we haven't spoken since this happened. I want more details so that I can either try to potentially fix things up between us or at least just have closure with this whole bizarre situation. I'm not only shocked, but I'm also very confused as to why he would just cut off communications with me entirely like this out of the blue.

Now that two weeks of silence have passed, should I try to reach out to him at this point or just stay patient and give him more time? Also, if he doesn't ever seem to want to talk to me going forward, what should I do from here? — Unceremoniously Cut Off and Dumped, via email

UNCEREMONIOUSLY CUT OFF AND DUMPED: I truly feel for you as to having something like this hit you and your life so suddenly. It is indeed hard to process and hard to take. However, I must sadly point out to you that this is likely a very bad sign for any potential future for you with this guy in a normal, trusting relationship.

Most likely, he's found greener pastures somewhere else in terms of where he plans to pursue his social life. And if this is the case, the way he cut you off does not warrant you giving him a second chance to pursue a romantic relationship with you in my opinion. Any male who would treat a lady this way demonstrates his utter disregard for her feelings and emotional state. Normal people do not act this way.

The only other plausible explanation I can come up with is that he may be in some sort of personal danger, and he's seeking to keep you clear of him so as to not have you become collateral damage in case he might face some harm himself. This scenario also raises red flags in my book. Therefore my advice, as painful as it is, would be to respect his "wishes" and cease all contact with him. Don't plan to call him, text him or email him at all. He told you as much, so if there is to be any possible positive explanation for his behavior that comes your way in the future, you can carefully examine it at that point in time. But don't hold your breath as I feel it's unlikely you'll hear from him again.

At this point, he's actually done you a backhanded favor by exposing his true character to you before you became even further involved with him. I know it's tough right now, but do your utmost to put him in the rearview mirror of your life and begin to move on as quickly as you reasonably can. Lean on your family, your best friends and even your teachers and school counselors as needed if you're still a high school or college student. If you're not a student, there are many online counseling resources available to you should you need them, so don't hesitate to reach out to get support at the first sign that you feel you may need it.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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