By Suzannah Weiss, Glamour
Photo: Courtesy of CNP Montrose
According to the results of a poll conducted by The Associated Press and WE tv, a lot of Americans can relate to Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together." But the study shows that while most of us think cutting exes out of our lives is the best move, few have actually lived up to this standard.
Based on online interviews with 1,241 U.S. adults, the survey found that 61 percent of us think it's not worth it to try to stay friends with an ex, and the same amount believe that dropping contact completely is the right call. Yet over half of the people surveyed--including 38 percent of people who were against friendships with exes--had remained friends with an ex at some point in their lives.
As one would expect, relationships with exes don't always stay platonic. A third of respondents said they'd slept with exes, and another third said feelings for exes had stood between them and new relationships. A solid 41 percent had reported that they had gotten back together with an ex.
Moving on after a breakup isn't easy. Most participants in the survey said that if you're going to try to turn your significant other into a friend, it's best to give it some time. In the findings, friends and family were ranked as the most important aids in getting over an ex. (We have some more help for getting over an ex here.) Only about half considered casual dating or sex in the aftermath of a breakup useful.
The results show that cutting off communication with exes--or, for that matter, anyone we have strong feelings for--is easier said than done. Breaking up is hard to do.
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