Everyone handles a breakup differently. Some overshare all the dramatic details of their split on their Twitter or Snapchat stories, some stay friends, and some decide its best to remove their ex from their life entirely.
Recently, I've had a number of friends go through breakups and I've noticed that there is sometimes a stigma around the latter of the choices, even though it could be the best thing for them to do. Of course, every relationship is different, so removing blocking an ex and deleting their number may not always be necessary, but sometimes it is and there's nothing wrong with that.
I've had friends obsess over staying friends with their ex and sometimes forcing that friendship with someone you're still in love with isn't the healthiest decision. It can prevent you from moving on and healing.
Even if you broke up on good terms, putting an immense amount of effort into maintaining a friendship after a breakup can really damage your mental health.
For example, one of my friends casually dated a good guy friend of her's briefly and then decided it wasn't a good match. Even though they weren't compatible, she wanted to stay friends with him still. I'm sure most have us have been in a similar situation and it doesn't sound that complicated. However, since he still had feelings for her it put a lot of strain on their friendship and he started subtweeting her. Obviously, no one likes to be subtweeted, so she ended up deciding to distance herself from him. At first, she was worried it was petty of her, but honestly, it was probably the healthiest thing for both of them in the end. Sometimes you need to think about what's actually best for you and not about what other people will think.
Additionally, you don't want to see your ex post pics with other dates, there's no shame in unfollowing them. There's no reason you should have to see anything on social media that makes you feel insecure. You choose who you follow, and you don't have to follow them. Unfollowing an ex isn't petty, especially if it's a decision you feel is in your best interest.
Forcing a friendship with an ex isn't always a good decision.
Depending on the breakup, it could be a really unhealthy one. For example, if you have an on-again-off-again history, staying buddies with an ex could just keep you trapped in that never-ending, toxic cycle.
Sometimes you need to distance yourself to gain some perspective and grow. It's hard to move on when you're still constantly texting your ex.
