You’ve decided that you’ve finally had enough. You don’t want to be tempted to look him up anymore. You don’t want to see him living his best life on social media or deal with him texting you in the middle of the night. Blocking someone can allow you to move on, especially if you have broken up with your partner. But what happens when he realizes you blocked him? How does he feel when he realizes you blocked him? Will he care? Will he now want to get you back? Will he try other methods to see what you’re doing? Here’s everything you need to know if you’re asking yourself, should I block him?
10 Ways How a Guy Feels When You Block Him
How does a guy feel when you block him? Does he get upset? Jealous? Does it make him more intrigued or curious about your life? As it turns out, it can be all of the above.
How a guy feels when you block himDo they know you blocked them?Psychology behind blocking him5 Reasons why you should block himBlock him to get him backCan’t move onWhat if blocking isn’t enough?
#1 He Feels Confused
One of the first questions he may ask himself is, What did I do wrong? This question, of course, can lead to a downward spiral of intense analysis. For example, he may assume that you’re mad at him. Or, he might wonder if he unintentionally did something that upset you.
#2 He Feels Nervous
He may be checking up on you more than you realize! If you take away that instant access, he might feel afraid that you’ve moved on from the relationship. He may also worry that he won’t get another chance to make things right. Reading Suggestion: How to get someone to stop texting you?
#3 He Feels Obsessed
In some cases, a guy might become a bit unhinged once they realize they’ve been blocked. They might move right into action mode- they feel determined to solve the problem and make things right. He may reach out to you on other platforms or enlist in a mutual friend to see what’s going on. He might even show up at your house or work to ask what happened.
#4 He Feels Insecure
Some guys like knowing that you’re still in your peripheral, even if they don’t want to get back together. It maintains their ego. If someone is more narcissistic, your attention (even when it’s indirect) fuels their narcissistic supply. So once you suddenly eliminate that power, he might feel insecure.
#5 He Feels Jealous
If he isn’t over you, you blocking him can feel like a strategic power move. He may even try to seek revenge in his own ways (like by jumping into a new relationship).
#6 He Feels Nosy
Have you ever noticed that you feel more curious about people when they tend to be present as somewhat mysterious? This same mindset can apply to blocking someone. Once they no longer have access to your life, they naturally feel more compelled to think about what you’re doing. Reading Suggestion: When a Guy Has a Crush On You He Always Says These Words This nosiness can explain why he might try to find other ways to find you. It can also explain why he may present as entirely detached from your action (after all, he doesn’t want you to realize that he’s being nosy!).
#7 He Feels Sad
He might be longing or reminiscing over the relationship in his own ways. Being able to text you or check your Instagram helps him feel connected. You blocking him can suddenly make things “feel real.” As a result, he may start to experience immense sadness over the breakup.
#8 He Feels Rejected
Blocking, in a sense, can be the ultimate form of rejection. You’re choosing to no longer participate in his life. You don’t want to have any role in his behavior. Even the most confident guy may feel rejected when he realizes this happens. It’s normal to hope that the two of you may still have a future together. However, knowing that option no longer exists can feel incredibly discouraging.
#9 He Feels Relieved
If he was the one who ended things (and he’s moved on from the relationship), he might experience relief in knowing that you’re also trying to heal. This relief often comes from a place of guilt. If he is a good guy, he doesn’t want you to be hurting over his actions. He wants you to have a happy future, too. Reading Suggestion: What his kiss says about how he feels: 29 kisses and their meaning
#10 He Is Unaware
In some cases, he might not even recognize that you’ve blocked him. For example, he might not be calling or texting you at all. He also may not be looking you up on social media even if you two are friends. Of course, this oblivion can change at any time. Once he makes an effort to reach out or check on you, he’ll quickly realize he can’t. At that point, he may feel surprised, angry, sad, or regretful.
Can Someone Know if You Blocked Them?
It depends. Here are a few rules for different platforms.
Blocking a Number When You Have an iPhone
Blocking a number on your iPhone is easy. All you need to do is go through your messages or call log, click “info” on the individual’s name, and then indicate “block this caller.” When you choose to block the contact, you prevent that person from contacting you via all forms of communication: text, phone, or Facetime. If you typically use iMessage to text back and forth, their texts will still look like they are sending. However, they won’t show the “delivered” receipt blow them. Therefore, the texts go nowhere. Reading Suggestion: 200+ Questions To Ask Your Crush If he tries to Facetime you, it will only ring and ring (without notifying you). There is no opportunity to leave a voicemail. Eventually, he’ll have to hang up. Finally, if he tries to call you, the call will typically ring once and then go straight to voicemail. He can leave a message, but it won’t show up with your usual voicemails. Instead, you will need to manually tap the “Blocked Messages” tab” to access it.
Blocking a Number When You Have an Android
Blocking a number on your Android is also easy. You can go into your contact list, select the name, and choose “block number.” Some Android phones have read and delivered receipts. Others don’t. Therefore, he may not necessarily realize if he’s been blocked if he’ll text you from his Android phone. If he tries to call you, he will receive one ring, and then it will go to voicemail. Like with an iPhone, he can still leave you a message, but it won’t appear in your regular messages.
Social Media
Social media privacy controls allow you to control how you share your content. They also enable you to control who can access what you post. He will have a good chance of knowing you’ve blocked him because he won’t be able to see what you share! Facebook: Facebook makes it fairly easy for him to tell he’s been blocked. He won’t be able to find your profile at all. Even if you share mutual friends, he won’t be able to reach you whatsoever. If he tries to send you a message on Facebook Messenger, he will receive the message, “Message not sent: This person isn’t receiving messages at this time.” Reading Suggestion: 31 Signs he wants to make love to you Instagram: Even if you don’t follow each other, he won’t be able to search for your username. If he can locate your profile, he won’t be able to see your posts- only the number of posts and followers you have. He also won’t be able to follow you again. TikTok: TikTok will show him he’s blocked because your username won’t show up in his search results. If he can still find your account, your profile will have a message that says, “You cannot view the video based on this user’s privacy settings.” He also won’t be able to follow you. Twitter: Twitter tells people directly if they have been blocked. If he tries to look at your profile, he will receive a message that reads, “You have been blocked from following (your handle) and viewing (your handle’s) tweets.” LinkedIn: If you block him on LinkedIn, your profile will essentially disappear from his search. He won’t be able to access shared content or message you. If you offered recommendations or endorsements, they won’t show up anymore.
What Is the Psychology Behind Blocking Someone?
What motivates us to block someone and what is the psychological impact? Why choose such a deliberate action instead of just screening calls or avoiding their messages? The first reason is an obvious reason. We block people when we no longer want them visible in our lives. It’s that famous out-of-sight, out-of-mind logic. Just like you don’t bring home cookies when you’re on a diet, you don’t check on your ex when you want to move on! You try to eliminate any triggers that might compel you to think about him. We also block people for more covert reasons. For example, you might want to make your ex feel jealous or remorseful. You may hope that they feel more inclined to reach out to you after they realize they have been blocked. Finally, we may block someone out of immediate spite. If your ex says or does something that upsets you, you may block him to cope with your anger. When this is the primary motive, the blocking tends to be temporary. You might even go through several phases of blocking and un-blocking (this is often to send a deliberate message to them). Reading Suggestion: Do Guys Cuddle With Just Any Girl?
5 Reasons Why You Should Still Block Him
Blocking someone isn’t always easy. Part of you may want to hold onto the nostalgia of your past. Another part of you might hope to keep “things open” just in case either of you decides to come back to one another. These are valid reasons, but here are some considerations you should also keep in mind.
#1 You Need to Focus On Other Things
Most people grieve the loss of their relationship after it ends. That’s normal. But scrolling through their pictures, texts, or social media feed endless times a day doesn’t give you any space to heal. Instead, you’re halfway living in their world. Blocking someone forces you to focus on other relationships or hobbies instead of past relationships. By spending time on those pursuits, you may feel less sad, angry, or obsessed with your ex.
#2 You Really Shouldn’t Be Friends Right Now
Some people can and do maintain healthy friendships after breaking up. But this dynamic tends to be the exception and not the rule. Even if you hope to be friends with your ex, you both need time and space to process the end of the relationship. Therefore, it isn’t healthy to text or call each other as if nothing has changed. It also isn’t healthy to stalk them on social media. Reading Suggestion: Why do guys act like they don’t care after a breakup?
#3 You May Feel Less Jealous
He’s with another woman, and you haven’t dated anyone since. He just got a new puppy, and you spent months trying to convince him to get a dog. He’s out partying, and you’re home alone. We all know that people tend to post their highlight reels on social media accounts. However, that insight doesn’t reduce the pain you may feel when you see him flaunting his happiness as if nothing happened. Jealousy is a normal emotion to experience after a break-up. Even if you know you weren’t right for each other, you may still be resentful if he’s with someone else. Or, seeing him happy might trigger immense rage if you’re still feeling heartbroken. Blocking creates a sense of freedom. You don’t have to deal with those jealous feelings of watching how he’s moved on in life.
#4 You Don’t Need to Block Him Forever
Even if your decision feels permanent right now, that doesn’t mean you won’t change your mind later. It’s easy to unblock people should you choose to do so. But if you feel tormented by the past, it’s a good idea to take a break altogether. You don’t need to add extra suffering to your current pain. At this point, it’s important that you stay proactive with your well-being and avoid challenging temptations as much as possible.
#5 You Can Come Back to Each Other With a Fresher Perspective
It may not be helpful to end a relationship hoping that you two reconnect in the future. But research shows that 44% of people get back together with an ex at some point. So there’s definitely a potential chance for reconciliation. But let’s say you two eventually get back together. Maybe it’s several months or years from today, and you have no way of knowing this information now. Is it really going to be helpful to know everything he’s been up to during this time? Probably not. If anything, you’ll probably obsess over that information and analyze it to pieces. Instead, if you two want to make things work, you’ll probably need to start over. There needs to be a conscious effort to get to know each other again and learn from your past mistakes.
Should You Block Him to Get Him Back?
You might be asking yourself this question, especially if you hope to reconnect. If you feel hurt or angry, you might be tempted to use this approach. You probably hope that doing so will make your ex long for you or the relationship. In some cases, it might work. An ex might start missing you more if he has no way to contact you. When he realizes you blocked him, he may even resort to other tactics like borrowing a friend’s phone or making a fake profile to see what you’re doing. Someone else might be asking themselves, I blocked my ex, and he doesn’t care, so now what? This outcome is also possible. If he’s moved on (or wants to move on from the entire relationship), he might not feel bothered by you blocking him. In fact, he may even be relieved. Reading Suggestion: When a guy texts you every day, what does that mean? With that in mind, without you two communicating, you have no real way of knowing how he feels. It’s common for someone to act like they’re entirely healed even when they aren’t. It’s also typical for men to portray themselves as unfazed or even detached when a relationship ends. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t hurting inside. According to Anna Aslanian, LMFT, playing games isn’t the best way to win someone back. Likewise, beating around the bush isn’t an optimal foundation for current or future communication. Instead, it’s much better to be direct and upfront about your intentions. Doing so conveys maturity. It also shows that you’re willing to be vulnerable by expressing your needs. So, if you really want to know how he feels, it’s probably best to ask assertively.
What If You Can’t Move On?
Do you keep blocking and unblocking your ex? Are you holding onto parts of the relationship and afraid to let them go? Does it seem like your broken heart won’t ever heal? Breakups are undoubtedly painful, and moving on from a relationship is challenging. It takes time to heal, and you shouldn’t put too much pressure on yourself to move on as quickly as possible. However, if you still feel guilty or stuck, here are some tips that might help.
Accept Your Feelings
We often have unrealistic standards for how we should feel or act after a breakup. Often, we berate ourselves for feeling angry, sad, or insecure. But these feelings are completely normal, and it’s essential that you validate yourself for having them. You are mourning a significant loss. On the other hand, you are rebuilding a new part of your life. This is hard work, and it would be strange if you didn’t have feelings about it! So, try to aim for integrating self-compassion into your everyday life. Be kind and patient with yourself, especially if you’re having a rough time. Remember that heartbreak is challenging and that most people face setbacks on their roads to healing.
Consider a Social Media Detox
Scrolling through your feeds may seem harmless, but this activity can have detrimental effects on your self-esteem. Research shows that prolonged social media use is correlated with increased symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. Repeatedly checking on your ex won’t feel good, even if you have no intention of getting back together. So, why torment yourself? But if you find that you can’t stop looking, it may be worth considering a social media detox. This very interesting plan allows you to completely disconnect and regroup. Here is how to make the most of your detox. Find an accountability buddy: It’s easier to stick with a habit when you have someone who supports your goals. Ask a friend if they are willing to help you with your detox. Maybe the two of you can even do one together. Delete the apps: It may seem obvious, but don’t overlook this step. Uninstall each app from your phone. Embrace healthy distractions: If you spend most of your downtime on your phone, you will need to think about how you plan to spend that additional time. Hayden Finch, Ph.D., recommends activities like learning a new language, meditating, reading a book, or writing your gratitude. Create a sustainable plan: You probably aren’t going to avoid social media forever. But you can moderate your use in the future. Before you end your detox, think about your intentions for logging back in. Maybe you will set specific time limits for how often you use each app. Or, perhaps, you will decide to only use social media accounts after completing other important tasks, like your chores.
Stay Busy
The more you sit and ruminate with your thoughts, the worse you will likely feel. Staying busy helps you feel productive and empowered. It also eliminates all that free time where you might feel tempted to scroll through Facebook. Reading Suggestion: How to tell if a guy likes kissing you? Use this time to focus on other relationships. Try to work on yourself. Pick up old hobbies or consider trying new ones. Remember that filling up your schedule can boost your confidence and improve your emotional well-being.
Try Therapy
Moving on from a breakup can disrupt your entire life. This is especially true if you two were together for a long time. You now have to untangle your identity from his and forge a new path for your future. This task can be daunting! Brad Brenner, Ph.D., recommends seeking therapy if you’re struggling with the following: Social isolation: If you’re withdrawing from others and generally feel apathetic about your other relationships, it might be worth seeking professional help. Isolation often coincides with depression, and this problem can worsen quickly if you don’t intervene. Unable to take care of yourself: If getting dressed or going to work feels like impossible tasks, you may be stunted in relationship grief. It’s normal to feel like things are challenging right now, but they shouldn’t be so distressing that you can’t perform everyday tasks. Romanticizing the relationship: Everyone thinks about the good times occasionally. But if you feel guilty or like you’re stuck in the past, it will be much harder to move on. Therapy allows you to process both the good with the bad. As a result, you will gain more objectivity about the relationship without falsely believing everything was magical.
Stay No-Contact
No matter how tempted you may feel, reaching out to your ex when you’re still this vulnerable probably isn’t a good idea. At best, they may comfort you (at least temporarily). But in the worst-case scenario, they may trigger even more feelings of rejection and abandonment. If you two do have to talk (for whatever reason), aim to set limits around your conversation. Consider bringing a friend with you. Stick to a clear agenda and try not to deviate from those discussion points.
What If Blocking Isn’t Enough?
Most guys will get the hint if they realize they’ve been blocked. Even if they make slight attempts to reach you, they will generally understand your motives. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for everyone. Research shows that 1 in 4 stalking victims reported being cyberstalked by their perpetrators. Cyberstalking can include persistent messaging, emails, or social media requests. In some cases, cyberstalking may lead to cyberbullying, where your ex makes deliberate actions to hurt you online. At the point he’ll contact you in a way like that, you may need professional intervention from the court or a lawyer. If you are worried about your safety, it’s best to consult with law enforcement to review your best options. Things can progress quickly, and it’s imperative that you seek support before something bad happens. Make sure that you check in with your support system ahead of time. You don’t want to suffer in isolation. Ideally, you should confide in friends or family who don’t have any mutual connections with your ex (you never know if he’s using them to try to pump information about you).
Final Thoughts
Blocking someone from social media allows you to refocus and move on. It isn’t a cure for healing, but it’s an essential step towards regaining your well-being. Unless you have a compelling reason to stay in touch, embracing a no-contact method simplifies your life. You won’t be distracted by what they’re doing. You’ll obsess less about how they’re coping or feeling. As a result, you pave a new path towards a new life. Reading Suggestion: What does it mean when a guy calls you Cute?
