Having a falling out with a friend, family member or significant other often leads you to a crossroads: block or don’t block on social media. This can be a tough decision, so let’s walk through it.
First, is this going to blow over in a few days or weeks?
If you think you might be reconciling or working through it, then blocking may make the situation worse and fuel the fire. Blocking someone prevents them from keeping up with you, but if you are regularly seeing them anyway, does it really do anything?
Is blocking this person going to make your life easier?
Maybe blocking doesn’t change anything in your everyday life — or maybe it does. If a person is constantly blowing up your social media, then maybe blocking gives you some peace. If your ex keeps swiping up on all of your snaps, then maybe it is time to unadd them.
Is blocking this person going to give you peace of mind or make you feel safer?
If it is a matter of safety, block them! No ifs, ands or buts! If you are feeling unsafe, please consider also reaching out to the authorities to share your concerns.
Perhaps the most important question: WHY do you want to block them?
If blocking them is a part of a mind game — grow up. Playing mind games can be fun, but trust me: when it is over, it will not make you happier.
If you are blocking someone because you never want to see or hear from them again — take a moment to make sure it is what you want and go from there. If you don’t want to see them, there is always the option to unfollow.
If blocking them is a way to get back at them and shut them out, then maybe it is time to think about the relationship between love, hate and indifference. If you are blocking someone because you are “over” them or tired of their actions affecting you, then clearly you are not truly over them.
Being indifferent towards the person shows them that you do not care if they see you succeed or fail because you are unaffected by them. Let them follow you, let them see you post that bomb thirst trap and let them see you conquer the world. They can watch you shine and think about what they did and what they are missing out on.
Blocking someone shows that person that they affected you to the point that you want them out. Blocking is an attempt to get under someone’s skin, and chances are if they’re over you, then they are likely going to unfollow on their own, which means they might not even notice your block.
At the end of the day, is blocking going to help you or is it a thinly veiled attempt to get back at the other person? As someone who has blocked and been blocked, I can tell you that being blocked gives me 100% more satisfaction than blocking another person.
The next time you are thinking about blocking someone, take a moment to think it through. Sometimes it is a power play, but most of the time it’s child’s play.
