Are you guilty of stalking your ex on Facebook? Poll says 1 in 5 women do it
Admit it ladies, most of you "check in" on your ex-boyfriends occasionally on social media after you've broken up.
After all, there's no easier way to see who is doing better after the split.
But don't worry, you're not alone.
It was revealed in a British poll that 22 per cent of women admit to secretly keeping tabs on the exes social media activities by using someone else's or a fake profile.
Dr Michael Sinclair, a consultant psychologist in London, said: "Social media makes it undoubtedly easier for us to keep track of people we once knew. We may feel compelled to do this for a number of reasons. It's fair to say that if we really care for someone we'd understandably want to check-in and see how they are and maybe relive some of those good times."
But sometimes, Facebook stalking your ex can become a problem.
Dr Sinclair said that checking in frequently on your exes is an attempt to "validate our own self-worth and possibly quench any feelings of failure, rejection or loneliness".
According to him, this is because women are more likely to secretly hope that their exes are similarly unhappy and lonely by comparison.
One woman said: "I was casually cruising Instagram and see the ex had posted a picture. It's a comment on some new designer shorts he has purchased. Perfectly innocent, except it fills me with anger and... jealousy? Why do people break up and suddenly become a better version of themselves? Why do they suddenly develop interests they would never have had before? He never liked fashion, designers, spending money or Instagram.'
The clinical director of London-based City Psychology Group says that the stalking has to stop if it ends up dictating your emotions.
Dr Sinclair advised: "It's wise to recognise that if coming across your ex enjoying their new life is leading to more rumination, worry or low feelings, cutting online ties might be the best option for moving on."
Source: Mail Online
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