Hey Reddit, I'm really struggling and could use some advice. I'm a 25-year-old guy, and I've been dealing with some intense emotions about my ex (27F) that I thought I'd moved past. We broke up about a year ago, and I'm finding myself unexpectedly consumed by thoughts of her again. Background: We were together for a while (not sure exactly how long), and things were generally good. I saw a future with her and was even ready for marriage. The main issue that led to our breakup was my move to Australia. She didn't want to do long distance, but she tried for about 4-5 months before things fell apart. The Breakup: As time went on, she started pulling away. Our calls became less frequent, and when we did talk, it was brief - maybe 4-5 minutes before she'd disconnect. Eventually, she called one evening to tell me she was seeing someone else. It was devastating. Issues We Had:

I used to smoke a lot of hash at work, which she hated. I quit for her, but I guess it was too late. There was tension over one of my female friends. My ex didn't like her and didn't want me talking to her. I stopped, but then my ex found old texts where this friend was saying I shouldn't be with my ex. I didn't defend our relationship strongly enough in those texts, and it really upset my ex. She never introduced me to her parents, even though she mentioned they were asking about marriage prospects. After we broke up, she became incredibly cold towards me. It was like a switch flipped, and suddenly she was uncomfortable if I even touched her.

Current Situation: It's been a year, and I thought I was over her. But last night, something weird happened. I kept having vivid dreams about her in different scenarios, always with me trying to convince her to be with me again. I'd wake up, think about her, then fall back asleep hoping to see her in my dreams again. This cycle repeated all night and into the afternoon. Now I'm spiraling. All the places I wanted to take her, all the plans we had - they're all flooding back. I'm trying not to regress into that sad, cry-baby phase again, but it's hard. Pattern I've Noticed: This isn't the first time I've struggled to move on. I've realized that in most of my relationships, I never get real closure. People just leave like nothing ever happened. I think this is why I have such a hard time truly moving on from exes. Questions:

How do I stop these intrusive thoughts and dreams? Is it normal to suddenly be hit with these feelings a year later? How can I get closure when the other person isn't willing or available to provide it? What steps can I take to truly move on and be ready for a healthy future relationship?

Any advice or similar experiences would be really appreciated. I'm tired of feeling stuck in the past and want to move forward with my life. TL;DR: Broke up with ex a year ago due to long-distance issues. Thought I'd moved on, but suddenly having vivid dreams and intrusive thoughts about her. Realizing I never get proper closure in relationships. Need advice on how to truly move forward and stop dwelling on the past.