Should I be friends with my ex?

Whether it's a good idea will depend on the situation and the people involved. Some people are able to have healthy, positive relationships with their exes without any difficulty or complications, whereas others find that trying to stay friends ends up being unnecessarily messy or even painful.

Is it normal to stay friends with your ex?

Overall, a majority of participants (59% in Study 1 and 65% in Study 2) remained friends with ex-partners. However, some people were more likely to want to stay friends with their partner after the breakup.

Why do exes want to be friends?

1. What does it mean when your ex wants to be friends? It may mean they are not over the relationship yet or regret the decision to break up with you. They may also want to be friends because they want to be on good terms with you post-breakup or may need something from you.

Is it toxic to be friends with an ex?

But it's important to keep in mind that many people stay in touch after a breakup in a respectable — and perfectly platonic — way. "There's nothing wrong with remaining friends with an ex under certain circumstances," Jonathan Bennett, a certified counselor and dating expert, tells Bustle.

How do you know if you should be friends with your ex?

Is It OK To Be Friends With Your Ex?

Is being friends with an ex a red flag?

If your partner genuinely has a positive friendship with their ex and enjoys spending time with them, then it would be natural to ask to be involved in this aspect of their social life, just as you may want to hang out with their other friends. Plus, a "no" to this question might be a big red flag.

Can being friends with an ex lead to a relationship?

Being friends with your ex can totally lead back into a relationship, but there are some things to consider first and steps to take (plus some things you should avoid at all costs).

Is it OK to keep in touch with your ex?

Most experts agree: you should not reach out to your ex unless you hope to salvage a treasured friendship. The impulse to reach out to an ex, whether it is because you still have feelings for them, you are seeking comfort and familiarity, or you simply want to know how they are doing, is often a bad idea.

What are healthy boundaries with an ex?

“Establishing healthy boundaries with an ex give you both space to grieve the loss of the relationship early on, but also gives both of you space so that you can also move forward and start to date other people (when you're ready to do so),” McBain said.

What are the benefits of being friends with an ex?

How long after a breakup can you be friends?

That being said, if you really want to try to be friends, the best thing you can do is be intentional about the progression. Galt suggests waiting a minimum of three months after the breakup, so you have time to let your feelings evolve.

Should I unfriend my ex?

Deleting your ex can help your brain move on from the relationship. Even if you have no ill-will towards a past lover, getting them off of your social media feeds and out of your mind is the best way to train your brain to move forward, Chan said.

Can you stay friends with someone you love?

True friendship can happen, but it's rare

You can easily wind up hiding from your real emotions, and make yourself unavailable to someone who might actually reciprocate your feelings. Being someone's friend doesn't mean you keep spending time with them, secretly hoping they change their mind.

How do you stop loving someone but stay friends?

How do I stop hoping my ex?

Should you be friends with your ex if you want them back?

If you want to get your ex boyfriend or ex girlfriend back, you shouldn't be friends with them because it gives them the easiest breakup experience possible. They get to feel like they still have you in many ways.

What to do if you want to be friends with your ex?

How do I tell my ex I need space?

“I think it's best if we take some space these next few months, so please don't text or call me for a while.” 2. “Speaking to you regularly is making it harder for me to move on, which is why I need to go no-contact for a while. I'll reach out again when I'm ready to talk.”

Is it wrong to not want to be friends with your ex?

And that's totally, totally OK. Because not being friends with your ex doesn't make you a bad person or even a calloused one — and it doesn't mean that your relationship was awful. It's just means one or both of you are better off letting things go, no matter how hard it is at first. And there are a lot of benefits.

Is it worth reconnecting with an ex?

Another benefit to getting back with an ex is awareness of what's changed in the time you've spent apart. You may be disadvantaged when dating someone brand new, because you're not aware of how they might have grown and changed in a positive way over time. With an ex, you get more of a before-and-after snapshot.

How no contact affects your ex?

Some people may be asking, “Does No Contact work?”. While everyone's ex is different, the No Contact Rule does increase the likelihood of your ex missing you and wanting to come back. In essence, it will show them that you are not available for them whenever they want you and that you have your own life to live.

Should I tell my ex how I feel?

It's all about how they feel about you. And since they broke up with you, we know where they stand at the moment. So if you tell your ex “how you feel,” and your feelings happen to be that you love them and can't live without them, you have actually just pushed them even further away.

Should you be friends after a breakup?

Remaining friends is certainly possible, but you don't want to cultivate just the guise of a friendship. For a true friendship, space and time can heal all. Giving romantic feelings the time they may need to fade for both people will likely result in a stronger eventual friendship.

Is it normal to miss your ex after 2 years?

Even though time has gone by, it's completely normal to miss someone that you were with romantically. It doesn't matter that it's two years later; the history is still there, and you're bound to think about them. You have many memories with this person, so of course, you'll miss certain things about them.

What does it mean if two past lovers can remain friends?

If two past lovers remain friends, it's either someone is still in love or someone is still hoping for a second chance. If two past lovers remain friends, it's either someone is still in love or someone is still hoping for a second chance.