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Should I delete all pictures of my ex?

315 Answers
Last Updated: 05/24/2022 at 12:07am
Should I delete all pictures of my ex?
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
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Stacy Overton, PhD.

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I am an enthusiastic life-long learner and also a professor of counseling. I have a passion for peoples stories and helping to guide and empower the human spirit.

Top Rated Answers
Anonymous
July 20th, 2015 7:51pm
It depends. Was it a healthy break-up? Do you look back on the memories you made together fondly? Do you feel like they enriched your life for a short time? Did they once make you very happy? If the answer to any of these questions is no, then delete them. Life is too short to waste pining after someone who isn't making you happy.
MeowTalk
June 10th, 2016 6:28am
Don't delete these. Really, don't. You'll regret it if you do. Not because maybe someday you'll get back together and be so glad you kept it all. You probably won't. But these pictures aren't just small monuments to a failed romance, they're high-resolution instants from your life, recorded forever, unfading. it's the way you were at a particular moment a shutter snapped and a digital sensor touched light. It's your dog, your apartment, your haircut, your vacation, your job, your old bike—everything that was you for that moment, regardless of who you were dating and who you loved. Instead, vault it. Copy everything that's too much to look at onto an external hard drive or some remote backup system, and then delete it from your machine. Put that hard drive in a sock drawer or under your bed. Give it to a friend. Place it where it won't distract and won't harm, but, when you're ready, can provide a vivid reminder of who you used to be. That's incredibly powerful! Don't destroy it on a whim.
insightfulTruth93
January 9th, 2016 10:51pm
It's impossible to plow through a committed relationship in an industrialized nation without piling up an abundant digital record. You'll have chat transcripts, tagged photos on Facebook, beautiful photos from a DSLR, email letters, Skype call screenshots, texts—so, so many texts. Your first instinct will be to throw it all away.That's not a reflex to be ashamed of—just like you wouldn't want to stare at a framed photo of your ex while you're hurting, you don't want to look at hundreds of messages and JPEGs detailing that person either. We're all hypersensitive when it happens, and we're living in an age of hyper-info. There are more grains of salt to catch in your heart wound than ever before. This isn't easy..But wait till they make you feel less hurt,give.yourself time to let their impact be less intense on you..don't be rash and trash it...Open yourself to the idea of seeing them one day as a cherished experience and someday you'll let them remind you of how far you've come from what you once were and smile a proud smile for living through all the hurt..
YourNotAlone27
November 1st, 2015 5:16am
Yes, because your ex is your ex for a reason.
Anonymous
November 26th, 2014 4:51am
It would depend on if you're planning to get back with them. If you're not, then I'd say keep your favourite, and delete the rest. If you want to get back with them, then just hold onto the pics!!
cupsofjoyy
March 20th, 2016 6:55pm
if you have them then you're gonna look at them and you're gonna remember how it was to be with that person. how do you expect yourself to get over a face that you're looking at everyday?
MrHector
June 17th, 2015 4:18am
An ex is a very important part of one's life. A person learns a lot of good and at times bad things during a relationship so keeping mementos is a very complicated issue. It all comes down to feelings and current and future relationships. If you are not in a relationship and do not plan on being one in the immediate future, it all comes down to how the pictured make you feel. If you are in another relationship or plan to be in the near future, pictures of old lovers might be an issue; however, if they really mean enough to want to keep around, it is best to be upfront about it and talk to your partner about the reasons behind this. There is no short answer for this question but I hope this helps.
Anonymous
April 23rd, 2015 6:49am
Yes and no. I hope that one day you can look back at those pictures and think of the good memories you had. It would be a shame to throw away things you could potentially miss. I wouldn't be opposed to tossing a few photos if it helps you heal. But someday I think you will miss having something to remind you of those good moments you shared.
BeInJoy
December 18th, 2015 5:52am
If they're the ex only, yes. If they are of you AND your ex, I'd say keep it - if you're smiling or happy in it. I always kept the pictures that had me in them. At some point, you'll want to look back and either remember the good times in you life, or have reminders of what you've survived through. But hide them until you need them.
Anonymous
September 1st, 2015 7:18pm
Yes, if you really want to get over your ex, the first step is deleting all the pictures of them. It really helps
reflective
November 28th, 2014 7:26pm
If you are ready to accept his absense, deleting the pictures may better help your process of healing.
Anonymous
December 20th, 2015 12:06pm
just put them in a safe hidden place and keep them for when you are old and nostalgic, it may be heart-warming to look at them later again
Bigheart4all
October 29th, 2015 8:42pm
it depends on the situation if it was a healthy break up or not or if you still communicate or not. otherwise, being able to move on with your life means leaving the past in the past. otherwise your past is hurting your chances of being much happier than if you keep the pictures.
hopefulPerspective70
January 7th, 2016 4:26pm
Acutally yes you should. If you're not deleting pictures of your ex it means somewhere you still miss them or love them. Nd you should just move on. Your past is not with you anymore. So leave the past behind nd start a new life. It's never too late.
Anonymous
April 24th, 2015 5:11pm
If it makes you feel better then yes, you should delete it. However, if you know that by deleting it, not only would it not make you feel better but instead, it'll make you feel bad or regret after, then don't delete it.
ComplexxHeartt
November 26th, 2014 2:18am
Yes deleting everything related to an ex is the first step to getting over them and it helps healing
maskedanonymous
September 18th, 2015 2:56pm
YES. Yes, you should. To avoid flashbacks whenever you see your pictures. But it doesn't mean you forget him that easily. It's just you choose to avoid anything that reminds you of him in any way to ease the pain (if you're hurt.)
Anonymous
January 6th, 2016 6:05pm
I would not delete them. Even though you broke up you still can remember those nice moments you had together.
kjaaquinn1
February 10th, 2016 6:16am
I would say no WAY. All memories are a strong part of my past. I protect all of them just as I protect pictures of my children. When you part ways it does not change your past. Be friends as you move on!
safeHeaven16
February 11th, 2016 8:06pm
If you feel like you are emotionally ready for taking that step, then do so. If you are still not over them then deleting everything might hurt you more than the fact that you are no longer together. You are the expert in you, if you're ready you will know
heretohelpyou88746
February 5th, 2016 5:01pm
yes you should delete them all because you need to move on there are thousands of fish in the sea waiting for you to catch them.
KristenBugg
November 27th, 2014 5:51pm
If they do not bother you then no, but if they do you probably should. Only when you are ready because if you aren't ready to move on it will hurt.
tash6tash
January 5th, 2015 9:11am
You do what's right for you. Keep the pictures as memories, or delete them because they're causing you pain. If you can look back on them with a smile, then why delete these photos? But if you have no reason to keep them, and they're only reminding you of dark times, then why keep these photos? Take a look, think about it, and do what you think's best.
Anonymous
May 13th, 2015 1:02pm
Yes, having those pictures can cause a lot of emotional distress. You don't want to be reminded on a daily basis of what had happened.
comfortableBeauty98
December 18th, 2014 2:52am
I would suggest not doing that.. For a certain part of your life, he\she was a large part of your life.. While a break up may prompt us to do that, i usually prefer just backing up my phone and hiding the backup somewhere on the computer (or on the cloud).. and then resetting my phone for a fresh start.. Once you've moved on, you will probably look at these and cherish the memories.. Although try not to keep all of them.. just a few special ones..
stongertoday2014
November 26th, 2014 7:29am
No...One day you can reflect not now but one day. You may want those pictures in the future and wish you never erased them. Tuck them away put them in a box and move forward.
Anonymous
February 12th, 2016 8:11am
That is a choice that can be only made by you, do you still want to hang on to the past?
Anonymous
April 25th, 2015 11:22pm
Yes! There is no reason for you to keep them up! Take them down, you are to good for him! Why keep them up? What is the purpose of that?
Anonymous
March 24th, 2016 7:16pm
Yes. I know it might be hard to, but it is for the best. If you keep them it'll hold you back, and you don't need that.
HelloCitrus
October 31st, 2015 3:59pm
Yes, the process of moving on evolves deleting pictures of him. You don't want any reminders of him. He's your ex, so why would you want pictures of him?