Following an ex on Instagram is a lot like avoiding putting a bandaid on a cut- it’s just going to get worse. No matter how civil your breakup may have been, getting out of a relationship is hard, and seeing your ex’s every move on social media is just going to make getting over them that much harder.
To some, unfollowing an ex on social media can sound childish and immature, but unless you’ve first-hand experienced the pain of seeing an ex move on quicker than you, you won’t understand how crucial it is. Unfollowing an ex is the first step to moving past a broken relationship and getting closure where it needs to be.
Social media isn’t all bad when it comes to relationships. Not only do many people meet online, but old flames can reignite through the use of social media. However, dating in today’s society can lead to a lot of complications because of social media. Social media has taken relationships to a whole new level, and there are now way more standards in relationships than there used to be.
Does your significant other post enough with you? Is your crush one of the first to view your Instagram stories? Why does your boyfriend like other girls’ photos? These questions and about a billion others are now common thoughts that run through our minds. And one of the significant negatives about dating and social media is being able to see what an ex is up to through social media.
It’s easy to tell yourself you’re over a relationship. It’s easy to say to yourself that you’ve moved on, that you wouldn’t care if he/she started dating someone else- until you see it unfold in front of your eyes. Following an ex on social media is inevitably going to lead to more pain and heartbreak.
How do you think you’re going to feel if you’re at home, moping over your breakup, and you see your ex posts an Instagram story where he’s out and having fun? Probably not so great. People heal at different paces. It might take someone a month to get over a relationship, where it would take someone else six months. If you start seeing someone shortly after a breakup and start posting with them all over your social media- imagine how your ex, who still follows you and views all your pages, is going to feel.
It’s also extremely easy to follow what someone is doing through social media- another unhealthy habit that can be formed by still following an ex after your break-up. You can find out what photos they’re liking, what people they’re following, and what they’ve been up to, all with a click of a button. Instead of getting over the breakup healthily and productively, social media can make you easily fall in the deep hole of cyberstalking, a place no one ever wants to go to.
Unfollowing your ex might feel scary at first. You don’t want them to think your immature, or mad at them, or already over them. Unfollowing your ex might seem unnecessary at first, but in the long run, it’s going to yield much better results than if you continue following them. It is a necessary part of moving on and accepting a breakup, so if you’re still holding on to an ex through social media, take the time now to tap to their profile and confidently click “unfollow.”
