Help, I Regret Unfollowing My Ex On Social Media! Here’s Why You Shouldn’t.

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Did you unfollow your ex on social media after your breakup thinking that it would help you get over them? Or, did you feel certain that you’d never want to see or hear from them again, only to now question your decision? If you’re thinking to yourself “I regret unfollowing my ex on social media” and are unsure about what to do, here’s why you have absolutely no reason to regret.

Why might someone unfollow their ex on social media?

Unfollowing an ex on social media is usually to avoid having constant reminders of this person. Here are some common reasons as to why someone may unfollow their ex on social media:

To make it easier to get over the end of the relationship
They no longer longer want to see their ex’s posts as they have no interest in knowing what they are doing
To prevent their ex from viewing their own posts
To reduce the possibility of their ex messaging them
Things ended badly and they want nothing to do with them

If you regret unfollowing your ex on social media, here are 5 reasons why you shouldn’t regret doing so

Reason 1. You don’t need to know what your ex is up to

Do you regret unfollowing your ex on social media because you’re now curious about what they are up to? Putting it bluntly, there’s not much to be gained from viewing their photos and posts. Your relationship is in the past and they are happily living their life without you. Whatever they are doing is none of your business anymore.

Reason 2. Having your ex as a friend on social media will make it harder to get over them

If you’re still not quite over your ex, having their photos popping up on your newsfeed will not help at all. Being over someone means not constantly thinking about them and not missing them. If you still have feelings for them, it will be tempting to stalk them on social media. However, constantly seeing their photos means that you’ll be thinking about them rather than focusing on moving on. Being out of sight may not necessarily mean out of mind with regard to exes, but it’s certainly better than having constant reminders.

Reason 3. If they’re in a new relationship, viewing their loved-up posts is unlikely to offer you any benefit

When it comes to exes, sometimes ignorance really is bliss. Say, for example, you and your ex dated for years but the relationship ended due to their fear of commitment. If, say, you refollow your ex only to find out that they are now engaged to someone else in the short space that he or she has been single, how would you feel? While you’re still wondering about your ex, they have swiftly moved on with someone else and taken their relationship to the next level. Most people wouldn’t feel great after learning this.

If, deep down, you still have feelings for your ex, viewing photos of them and the person they are dating may spark feelings of jealousy. Who would really enjoy seeing photos of the person they like with someone else? You may end up comparing yourself to their new partner, which really isn’t great for one’s self-esteem.

Reason 4. Unfollowing your ex on social media is a good thing because you won’t be tempted to reach out

Unfollowing an ex is a good idea because it prevents you from subconsciously looking for excuses to reach out to them. For example, if they post a funny photo on their Instagram feed, you may find it difficult to resist liking or commenting on their post. This can be a slippery slope. It’s easy to end up communicating with them regularly. You then may fall back into comfortable habits such as leaning on them for companionship.

Reason 5. Not having your ex as a friend on social media may make it easier for you to open your heart to someone new

After a breakup, it’s important to be truly over your ex before you can open your heart up to another person. This means no longer caring about what your ex is doing and no longer hoping that they’ll reach out some day. You are far better focusing on living a full, happy life by yourself instead of watching your ex’s posts.

You already made the decision to unfollow them. Ask yourself why.

Why did you choose to unfollow your ex in the first place? Was it to help yourself get over the relationship quicker? Or, was it because you absolutely wanted them out of your life? There must have been a strong reason for you to unfollow them. If you turn around now and send a friend request because you regret unfollowing them, this sends mixed messages.

Even if you now turn around and request to follow them again, it gives them the wrong impression

If you send a request to follow your ex again, they may:

Think that you still have feelings for them
Believe they have a hold over you emotionally
Already be in a new relationship and wonder what you want
Perceive you as being confused and not knowing what you want
Add you as a friend out of boredom or curiousity but not want a relationship with you

Remember why you broke up

Even if your ex is happy to add you back as a friend on social media, what is this going to achieve? Surely, there were strong reasons for the two of you parting ways. Based on where you are today, how does viewing your ex’s posts help you? Are you dreaming about the past because you are currently single? Even if they are happy to be friends on social media, it does not mean that they want a relationship with you. Instead of dwelling on your ex, your best bet is focusing on your life without them and moving on.

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