Oh no! You just got another Instagram notification telling you your ex posted a picture from the vacation you two took together. Of course, you’re not in the picture, but everyone knows you went to the Bahamas with them.
Now you’re so happy that you don’t see them too often, and most of your post-breakup communication is based online.
Do you wonder if this is one of the signs your ex is trying to get your attention on social media? Do they want you to come back, or are they just jealous of your new dating life? So many questions and so few answers.
Luckily, I am here to help you with these questions.
I will talk about the signs your ex isn’t over you but posts all over Facebook. Of course, we will touch on some of the reasons behind these actions and a few questions you might have along the way.
25 Clear Signs Your Ex Is Trying To Get Your Attention On Social Media
Here are some of the telltale signs your ex is trying to get your attention on social media:
1. Forcing a chat
Double texting or, even worse, drunk texting is nothing compared to the annoyance you feel when receiving a text message from your ex-partner.
In fact, they are reaching out to you and forcing a chat. No matter how dryly you reply, they still find a way to proceed with the conversation.
2. Watching your old content
It might be that they unintentionally slipped a like on a half-year-old picture of you, but you figured it out. Your ex is definitely going through your old social media content and reminiscing about your time together.
This can get really creepy if you get a notification that someone liked a picture of you in your teenage years. In any case, watch out for this kind of behavior because it is a surefire sign they are fishing for your attention.
3. Liking and commenting on pictures of you
One of the most surefire signs your ex is trying to get your attention on social media is that they keep liking and commenting on your pictures.
It doesn’t have to be likes or heart reactions. It’s commenting that gives them away as well.
4. Swiping right on dating apps
If you ask me, there is nothing more embarrassing than running into an ex-partner on a dating app. The unwritten rule is that you should just ignore their profile completely. Well, not all of us believe in common courtesy.
Your ex has found you on Tinder, engaged with you, or swiped right. This is a surefire sign they are interested in hooking up with you again.
5. Stalking you on other apps too
The average smartphone has ten apps the user uses constantly. For your ex, it’s much more because they are constantly following your social media presence.
This means they downloaded Tiktok, Wire, Trello, Discord, and Flock.
All of them to keep in touch with you. If your ex keeps constantly pinging you on apps they never used, you can interpret this as them trying to get your attention and keep communicating with you.
6. Playing the same games you do
Just like using new social media apps, your ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend could also start playing the same games you are. In fact, you asked them to try the game out a few times during your relationship, but they were always against it. Now they’re here.
Imagine enjoying a match with your friends and getting a notification your ex wants to join in. What would you do? Regardless, your ex wants your attention by engaging with you in the e-gaming world.
7. Talking about you
I don’t mean talking to your friends and loved ones about how you’ve hurt them. No, I mean making social media posts about you.
Of course, they don’t say the post is about you, but you can definitely see it is by the way they are writing. This is a definitive sign they are posting to get your attention.
8. Sad quotes
Oh, the sad quotes phase of breakup. Pay attention to which quotes your ex is posting to figure out how they feel about you now. Is it regret that they lost you, or are they sad they never got to tell you how over you they are?
In any case, sad quotes are the ultimate sign your ex is fishing for your attention on social media. This is also one of the signs your ex will never forget you. Remember, the quote doesn’t have to be a separate post. It can be featured in an image caption or sad song.
9. Staying in touch
Staying in touch is completely different from forcing a conversation. Every few days, you get a ping asking how you’re doing, and it’s been going on for months.
This definitely means that your ex isn’t over you and wants to stay connected. The goal is to make you feel bad about yourself or for you to come back to them, and you can figure out their intent through their texting.
10. Being honest
The ultimate sign your ex is doing something for attention is being bluntly honest about it. In fact, they might tell you or your mutual friends. Your ex posting sad quotes and flashbacks to your relationship is one thing.
But saying openly you are not over someone is something completely different. If you ask me, I would believe them because imagine how hard it is for them to say it out loud and not know whether you feel the same way.
11. Posting about your ex-relationship
It is not uncommon for people to post about their previous relationships on social media. This can be done positively, as it can be seen as closure and moving on.
However, this can also be done negatively, which can lead to the person being judged by others. In other words, by posting about their previous relationship, your ex might want others to judge you and make you feel bad about yourself.
12. Posting pictures they took with you
The best relationship advice I’ve heard is when something happens in a relationship – it stays in a relationship. The same goes for pictures. If you took it with your ex-partner, you can’t just cut them out and post the picture.
Your ex probably no longer cares about these dating rules, so they posted a picture you took of them. Their plan is to remind you of the nice time you had that day and for you to like or comment on the picture.
13. Posting content you are sure to engage with
It might be your favorite band, a sports team, or anything that has to do with your studies, but your ex is sure to post engaging content on their feed for you to see.
The goal of these posts is to get you engaged in the topic and get a comment out of you to finally start a conversation. In any case, this is one of the most obvious signs your ex is trying to get your attention on social media.
14. Posting content related to you
What is even worse than posting content to engage with you is posting content about you. In other words, they might be tagging you or writing about you positively, all while putting you in an uncomfortable position.
In fact, you can’t ignore their post out of courtesy, but you also can’t like or comment on the post because it would break your no-contact rule.
15. Changing their online behavior
Why is my ex changing their social media posts? It is possible that your ex is trying to make you jealous by posting pictures of themselves with other people or talking about their new life without you.
They can also post different kinds of content, like self-promotion or vlogging. It could also be that they are posting pictures of themselves in an attempt to get more followers or likes.
16. Followed your new boyfriend or girlfriend
Imagine you are in a relationship, and your partner reaches out to you and says your ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend started following them on Instagram. I wouldn’t feel too comfortable either.
In fact, they are probably doing this to get your attention but also snoop around on your new love interest’s profile.
17. Nostalgic posts
Nostalgic posts mean that your ex posts how they had it better before, old pictures, memories, and even sad songs.
Just like sad quotes, nostalgic and sad posts serve the same purpose. It is to lure you in and make you say, “I had it better with you,” and get back together.
18. Tagging you in memes
If your ex is tagging you in memes or sending you memes, it means they are thinking about you. They want you to think about them too.
Memes are a great conversation starter, and they give you something to laugh about together. This is why your ex’s strategy is to sway you by sending you funny pictures.
19. Guilt-tripping
Why would my ex want to hurt me? The answer is simple: They want to make themselves feel better. In fact, they are ready to post all your dirty secrets and talk about how they are the victim to get you to feel bad about yourself.
If your relationship was toxic, it is no wonder your ex-partner is trying to guilt-trip you into believing the breakup was your fault.
20. Ask followers to make them feel better
Another post your ex is likely to pull after a breakup is asking their followers to make them feel better. This is a lame option for those that want to make their ex-partners feel like they are the only reason they are sad.
The followers usually don’t respond as it is an awkward situation, and so shouldn’t the ex-partner (you).
21. Oversharing
If you want to get someone to notice you on social media, you start to gradually post about your life, which can end up as serious oversharing.
In fact, they might be posting about their private life, which you don’t really care about. But once they reach the topic of your relationship, you should hit the breaks. Remember, they are just trying to provoke you.
22. Showing off their new “soulmate”
While oversharing, your ex might try to make you jealous and, therefore, get your attention. They might be in a rebound relationship they are trying to show off.
In fact, they have a new social media relationship and a soulmate who is the polar opposite of you. The main thing with these jealousy traps is that you don’t engage and show how angry or jealous it makes you.
23. Enjoying the single life
Another thing your ex shares in their social media oversharing phase is how they are enjoying the single life. Or, in other words, how they are enjoying life without you.
They share numerous posts every day about how they are going out, traveling, or at the gym.
24. Baiting you
If your ex tags you in sad posts, or if they reach out to you in an attempt to make them feel better, you might fall into their trap. In fact, they just want to get your attention.
They are using their sadness as a mask to get you back into a relationship. This mask can be fake depression, suicide, and not feeling themselves.
25. Enjoying life
The last and definitely not least sign your ex is trying to lure you in for attention through social media is constantly posting about their new achievements.
According to their plan, these posts will make you feel bad for not sticking with such a successful person.
See also: Disappearing From Social Media After A Breakup (All You Need To Know)
5 Reasons Behind Fishing For Attention On Social Media
After looking at the telltale signs your ex is fishing for attention on social media, it is time to explore the reasons why your ex-girlfriend or boyfriend would be doing this.
The first question you might ask yourself after figuring out your ex is fishing for your attention is simple: Why is my ex doing this? Here are some of the most probable reasons:
• For the likes: Some people will do almost anything for likes. In fact, they might be posting sad quotes, but, deep down, they only want sympathy from others.
• Still not over the breakup: They might be holding a grudge against you, which is a good sign they are definitely not over you.
• Your ex misses you and wants to get back together: Is your ex trying to reach out to you? Then you can be certain they want your attention (and relationship) back.
• Your ex feels sorry for what they did: It might be too late, but your ex might have just realized they didn’t treat you well and want to clear their conscience by saying sorry.
• They realized what they lost: Plain and simple, it finally hit them that you were a catch they missed.
They Are Posting For Attention. What Should I Do Now?
So you’ve figured it out. They are, in fact, posting to get your attention. You don’t have to be a relationship expert to figure out these obvious signs your ex is trying to get your attention on social media.
It might be the sad quotes or pictures they posted that gave them away. In any case, we have a situation on our hands. Once you know what your ex feels and that they are posting for attention in the first place, what are going to be your next steps?
It’s your turn to play this game. Here are the options your ex-boyfriend/girlfriend has left you with:
• MOVE ON: Pretend nothing happened and ignore their posts. This option is for those folks that have completely moved on and got over their ex-partner.
• BLOCK THEM: It’s better to pull the bandaid right off. In other words, this is a childish but effective option if you don’t want to see their pitiful posts on your Facebook feed.
• NO CONTACT: This heavenly rule that cuts all ties with your ex-bf or gf for 30 days, gets your self-esteem back, and prevents late-night texts is a Godsend in these situations when you want to get over your ex asap.
• REACH OUT: If you’re still not over them either, try to reach out and mend the broken relationship you had. But be warned, there is always a reason you broke up in the first place.
• THINK ABOUT IT: It’s not chess, and you’re not being timed. If you don’t feel ready to decide, take some time. It is an important decision whether you want someone back in your life or not.
Your once-was significant other succeeded in getting your attention because now you are thinking about your past relationship and all these subtle signs that your ex wants you back.
In fact, they are the winner, and it is time for you to decide what you’re going to do about it. Are you going to end the no-contact rule or just ignore all of it and block them on all social media platforms? Decide for yourself.
How Do You Know When Your Ex Is Trying To Make You Jealous?
If your ex is trying to make you jealous, they will do things that will get your attention. Of course, these actions need to involve their newfound single life or possible new relationships they are having.
In other words, they will parade their beautiful, single-life, or new relationships in locations you’re going to see. It might be a club you’re visiting or simply social media apps.
In fact, they are just trying to mask their heartbreak by making their ex jealous. This is one of the clear signs your ex is pretending to be over you.
Here are some examples of things ex-partners do when they are jealous:
• Try to look their best and new body language
• Rebound relationships and new partners being the total opposite of you
• Different types of social media posts
• Sending you mixed signals by sending a text message and waiting hours to reply
Because what are the odds of someone caring about what you think and not having feelings for you? To conclude, your ex is just trying to make you jealous to get a reaction out of you. They hope this will show you that you care about them.
They Succeeded!
Once you think about it, you are here Googling the signs your ex is trying to get your attention on social media. In a weird way, they succeeded with their plan.
In fact, you are thinking about them and their actions, so they did get your attention.
Once you’ve figured out if that new relationship of theirs was just a rebound and whether their posts got more fun just for attention, it is time to decide what you want to do about it.
Are you going to get back together, or will you block them?
It’s all up to you now. I hope my article helped you figure out whether your ex was posting for attention or if your mind was playing tricks on you.