Broken Heart Rehab

Getting over an ex is hard. Some people turn to alcohol, food, or drugs. Other people turn to the internet. Indeed, the internet has become somewhat of a quiet enabler for those who want to stalk their exes after a breakup. With unabridged access to every intimate aspect of your ex’s life, it’s hard to resist seeing your ex just a mouse click away. Want to know whether his mood is “ninja” or “cantankerous”? Just log onto Myspace. Want to know whether his relationship status is “complicated” with that chic he was buying shots for at the bar last week? Just log onto Facebook. Want to know if his employer fired him yet for looking at porn during his lunch break? Check out LinkedIn. You get the picture.

Even if your conscience is your only witness, internet stalking your ex is a bad idea. Like the throngs of other bachelors on the prowl, your ex has probably posted a studly picture of himself aimed at enticing his female viewers to “poke” him on one of the popular social networking sites. His profile details are, of course, a snapshot of how wonderful he is currently doing after the breakup (mood: “stoked”; status: “single”), and likely includes several “wall posts” from one of his 36 “top friends.” Don’t forget his status update, where you’ll likely find that he is traveling to Vegas, or just fucked a playmate, or something equally infuriating as you sit at home watching reruns of Project Runway. After all, what better way for him to let the world know that he’s okay after the break up than to advertise it online to the world!

This is the pitfall of internet stalking. You’re going to see things you don’t want to see (read: your ex doing fabulously post-breakup). If your ex has succeeded in posting a salacious social resume online, you’re also likely to have the same feelings you would as if you were still in the relationship if you haven’t healed (e.g. jealously, anger, disappointment). This is a dangerous and unproductive behavior.

We agree with the experts who say that one of the best ways to get over an ex is to keep your distance. This means no drunk dialing, no sex, no “talking things out” just one more time, and most importantly, no internet stalking. Now, we hope you can see why.

So the next time you get the itch to see whether your ex uploaded pictures from a bacchanalian revelry or if he changed his status from “single” to “in a relationship,” channel that energy into something productive – like going onto bluefly.com and purchasing a dress that will bring out your inner sexy bitch.

One Response to “The Pitfalls of Post-Breakup Internet Stalking”