(STUDY FINDS) — BOULDER, Colo. — Moving on from a failed romantic relationship is rarely easy. Memories and passionate feelings don’t just disappear overnight, and many people go through a significant mourning period after a break up. While it’s usually a bit easier for the person who ended things, it’s common for both sides of a newly extinguished relationship to feel bummed out. Technology is supposed to enrich and enhance our lives, but just like in so many other scenarios, it turns out it’s actually making modern breakups even more harrowing for countless people, a new study finds.
Imagine logging on to Facebook or Instagram and being greeted by images of your ex moving on with their life, often times with a new beau. Facebook’s “memories” feature can also stir up some long dormant memories by prominently displaying pictures of days past with old partners. These are just a few examples of how social media platforms make it particularly difficult in 2020 to move on with our lives, according to researchers at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
“Before social media, breakups still sucked, but it was much easier to get distance from the person,” says lead study author Anthony Pinter, a doctoral student in the UCB information science department, in a release. “It can make it almost impossible to move on if you are constantly being bombarded with reminders in different places online.”
