Still stalking your ex? You are probably self-aware of this unhealthy behavior of yours and have probably gathered quite a collection of advice from your loved ones, like: 

• "Just block him/her!"

• "Put yourself out there! Plenty of fish in the sea."

• "Get yourself busy so you don't think about it all the time."

Here's why those advice suck:

1. Blocking Them Does Not Help

  

Most couples fresh out of a breakup may succeed in blocking their ex at first but will come back around and unblock them because some simply can't resist the urge. Yes, blocking someone on social media sounds easy when you're not on the receiving end of that advice. This behavior will most likely last for quite a time. However, after a while, self-realization will start to kick in and you'll develop enough self-awareness to stop the stalking behavior on your own account. 

So, stalk them if you want. Just know when it's time to stop. 

2. Getting A Rebound Is Never A Good Idea

Spiraling down that road is probably the last thing you need. A rebound may work on a short-term basis, but you're only creating another problem that is bound to bite you in the ass when it's time to end it. It's not fair for both parties, and certainly isn't a very helpful way in dealing with your breakup. 

Instead, take some time to re-define yourself and re-meet the version of yourself that you had long abandoned before meeting your ex. 

3. "Get yourself busy so you don't think about it all the time."

The real trick is to get yourself emotionally busy, but most of you would probably interpret this as, "I must handle as many tasks as I can that'd distract me." 

No matter how occupied you make yourself to be, at the end of the day you'll probably just end up stalking your ex anyway. It's a cruel way to prolong anxiety and will have you back to square one with your "progress". 

Stalking is a form of coping mechanism that is quick to become unhealthy if not contained well. However, don't beat yourself up about it. Self-awareness is already one step towards change and once you realize how self-deprecating that practice is, you'll gain enough self-respect to eventually let it go. 

This doesn't give you a free pass, though. Stalking is still wrong, but to get yourself to stop is a delicate process and I urge you to be gentle with yourself. Soon enough, you'll know when it's time to finally move on.