In the past if you wanted to snoop on your ex, you’d need a clever and carefully-put-together disguise. Nowadays though, the only things we need are a laptop and a Wi-Fi connection.
Yes, we can sit down at our computer and, with the click of a button, find out who he’s dating, what’s he’s been up to and what he just had for lunch (that is, if he’s into the whole Instagramming-your-food trend).
In a survey conducted by Oxygen Media, 62 per cent of women admitted to having a snoop on their ex online and a study from the University of Missouri has proven that cyberstalking actually feels good. If you’ve ever tried it yourself, you’ll know how addictive it can get.
But while it may feel good, it can cause some long-term emotional pain too. And that doesn’t feel so good. Like, for example, what if he’s moved on already and what if his new girlfriend has a better job/life/haircut than you? It’s just not healthy.
So how do you break the habit? How do you stop creeping on your ex every time you’re on Facebook? Here are three tips that might help.
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There’s always the chance that you’ll find out something you really didn’t want to know
Block his page: If your addiction is completely out of hand (i.e. you’re checking up on him every single day) then do yourself a favour and block his page from appearing on your news feed. Simply visit his page for one last time, find the little wheel icon, click it and then select the ‘report/block user’ option. Sometimes going cold turkey is the only way to get over your addiction. It will be hard at first but it will save you a lot of pain in the long run.
Don’t give yourself the opportunity to stalk: Most cyberstalking occurs late at night. Why is this? Well, it’s the time when most of us are likely to be online and feeling a little bit lonely. If this sounds familiar, break the habit by rescheduling the time you spend online. Instead of visiting Facebook at night time, do it during the day. Log in for five minutes, don’t allow yourself to dawdle and simply sign out and put away the computer when you’re finished. Spend your nights with your friends or reading or watching a feel-good film – all of these things will distract you from having a creep on Facebook.
Cyberstalking can become so addictive
Enlist a buddy to help you through it: It sounds a bit extreme but if you’re really strugglings, enlist a friend to help you out. Make an agreement with your friend that you’ll send her a text or call her every time you feel the urge to creep on his page. By doing this you’ll stay off Facebook and your friend will happily hold you accountable to your actions. Being held accountable will make you less likely to give in to your stalking desires and will help to strengthen your resolve when it comes to checking in on your ex.
