No contact - should you block them?

[ClementineSalad]

Interested in views from people with experience with NC.

I've recently gone NC with a friend I really do need out of my life. I realised this after reading a thread on here actually about a similar situation and it was like a lightbulb going off in my head.

While the NC does come with it's challenges I know it's for the best and know for certain I won't be reaching out. I don't know how I'd react though to him reaching out to me if that ever happens. (We were besties but then things got weird in the way that sometimes happens in m/f friendships and I needed to break the cycle of feeling used by him as a girlfriend stopgap). I wondered though from you experienced NCers - is it best to block them too?

If I knew I'd never see him again I would, but we work about a block from one another so know I'll see him around and worried blocking him would make that even more awkward than it already is. I also know it will hurt his ego and that I can't block him on everything anyway - just SM and text.

WWYD? Do you block? What are your experiences with successful NC - did you block or just not reach out?

Just changed my number tbh

Did that work?

Yes I’ve not heard anything from them in 2 years. Do you not think he will accept nc?

a friend I really do need out of my life

Is there anything this person could say or do that would change your mind about that? If not, then block.

I've gone NC with a friend before and didn't block because neither or us were making contact. I've blocked an ex because he kept getting in touch and I kept responding (plus I initiated contact once or twice after wine) so it was self-preservation. It was the only way for me.

2 years! That's great.

I just don't know. I am fairly sure he'll accept NC but not totally sure. We did NC once before and he got in touch after about 6 weeks and it totally threw me and we ended up being friends again and repeating the cycle all over again

I’m a bit against the usual grain on this: I think that leaving avenues of communication open is a crucial part of NC. You get to process how you feel if/when they do contact you; and you get to manage those feelings and maintain NC by not responding. You never have any of the “what ifs”, and you never wonder how you might have reacted.

Up to you though. If you don’t think you can just block because awks, send him a final message saying that you’ve made the decision you have for your own well-being, don’t want to hear from him again, and will be blocking him on phone / social media to help you both maintain that.

Is there anything this person could say or do that would change your mind about that?

I suppose in theory, but I doubt he's self aware enough for that

Comtesse that's exactly the sort of thing I was wondering. It seems people say 'block!' and I see the merit in that but also wonder if in doing so I'll be leaving something unresolved in my mind?

I don't know.