This week boxer Amir Khan has been all over the news since splitting with his wife Faryal Makhdoom. The social media drama that ensued is a prime example of how not to handle a breakup on social media. Here’s how you should handle a breakup on social media.
Amir Khan is a great example of things not to do. He has publically tweeted about his breakup with his wife. Then accused fellow boxer Anthony Joshua of cheating with his wife. He also publically called his wife a golddigger. He has since posted videos explaining the split and has recently posted photos of himself with an Instagram model in Dubai.
What did he do wrong?
It’s easy to say “Don’t air your dirty laundry on social media”. Because it’s obvious. But many couples have been able to announce their split on social media without falling into public feuds.
A short statement on the split is fine. A long rant afterwards accusing your partner of cheating is probably not fine. It doesn’t help your side of things, instead, it just fuels the rumour mills. From a legal standpoint, it can also really hurt you in future court proceedings.
It’s normal to feel hurt and betrayed after a breakup. It’s also normal to want to let out feelings of anger and frustrations. Even if you feel you’re right and have been wronged by your partner, throwing out accusations online is one of the worst ways of dealing with it.
In the case of Amir Khan, he’s had people accuse him of “losing it” and comes across as unstable, crazy or undignified.
The other downside to putting it up on social media is you’ll never be able to get rid of it. Yes, you can delete tweets and videos, but there’s always a chance someone has already saved the info before you got to delete it.
Posting the pictures up with a new girl straight away also comes across as petty. It looks childish and doesn’t help your image.
What you should do
One thing that is suggested is to delete your social media accounts. It might sound a bit extreme, but for some people, it’s the best option. If you don’t want to delete your social media profiles it can be a good idea to disable them until you’ve had time to cool down.
You can tell people you’ve split from your partner. Or you can not. There’s no obligation to tell people. Keeping things private is often the best method for dealing with a breakup.
If you feel the need to really tell people, get in touch with your friends. Arrange to meet them in person, talk to them on the phone or even just text them. If you feel you need to vent and want support, those are better options than to turn to social media.
Another great reason to stay away from social media is so you don’t fall into the trap of going through all their photos and getting yourself into a slump. It’s hard breaking up with someone, and unfriending or unfollowing them is a must. You won’t be able to get over someone if you are constantly checking up on their current status.
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