The no-contact rule is a legitimately foolproof system, where you don’t text, call, or otherwise reach out to your ex after a breakup. According to sex and grief expert Breeshia Wade, the no-contact rule allows you to “not plug up any holes or feelings of brokenness with someone else,” she explained to Cosmopolitan. “[It] can help you properly acknowledge a loss and mourn it, and eventually create space for something new.” By keeping your ex-partner’s thoughts out of sight and mind, you’re able to better move on from something on your own terms. Everyone’s journey to healing their heartache is unique, but one thing we can all do is keep certain voices out (especially those who we are prone to listen to).
It can also be beneficial to block your ex entirely, especially if you’re someone whose attachment style calls for incessantly checking up on them. For relationship coach Dr. Susan Trotter, it’s the most effective way to keep from seeing them online (intentionally or by accident). “Doing so will keep you from obsessively checking your ex’s social media to see what they’re doing,” she explained to Women’s Health, telling readers that checking up on an ex “keeps you engaged in a way that will prolong the grief and keep you from moving forward more easily.” If you’re brutally honest with yourself, you may realize that keeping an ex around on social media is detrimental to you moving on. It won’t be easy to block and cut them out, but it will undoubtedly be worth it down the line.
