Social media is very addictive and it’s easy for it to become an unhealthy habit, especially when you’re going through something sad and emotional like a break-up.
Break-ups heighten our emotions and make us feel like we’ve never felt more heartbroken or in love. It’s common to feel the need or compulsion to look through your ex’s social media sites several times a day, wanting to know where they are, who they’re hanging out with, and what they’re doing now that you’re not together.
While time is the best way to get over someone, there are ways that can make this process easier. Here are 5 tips to keep yourself from turning into a full-on stalker.
Apps that help
If you have a serious stalking problem there are apps out there that can make it harder for you to stalk your ex. AppDetox is one of these, setting boundaries for your social media usage depending on your app settings. This app can stop you from going on social media apps during late nights or when you’re bored during your commute.
While the app won’t isolate you from your ex, it works as a buffer. The only way of completely getting rid of their presence is to block or unfriend them, which may cause drama but it’ll give you some peace of mind.
Friends
Make time to hang out with friends and close ones so they can cheer you up and also keep track of your behaviors. Close friends can let you know when you’ve been talking too much about your ex and will also prevent you from spending too much time on your phone stalking your ex.
Break patterns
Most of us want to cry, stalk, and sleep after a break up, which is okay. After a while though, you need to start doing other things and look for distractions and activities that can make you feel better, fulfilled and won’t leave you with as much free time.
Get some space
It’s common to stay in touch with someone after a break up, but if you’re trying to avoid stalking them and are looking to get over them, it’s best to get some space from their entire world. It’s okay if you need to stop following your ex and their friends and family. Your mental health should always come first.
Set personal goals
If you have a dependence on your ex’s social media updates try to build up some boundaries and realistic goals, such as limiting the stalking to once a day or spending an entire day without looking through their social media profiles. While this may seem silly, it’s more realistic to ease out of a habit slowly than to cut yourself off completely and expect perfect results.
After a few weeks, you’ll start to forget about your goals and boundaries and you’ll realize that it’s been days since you last thought of your ex.
