Science says: removing a photo of your ex is difficult

Months, maybe even years you were a couple. In love, happy, together. And now it's over and you will never see each other again. The only thing you have left are the photos.

That's the strange thing about love: someone can be your whole world one day and a fight later no longer exist. You probably will never speak to each other again. Or will you? According to researchers, about 65 percent of twenty-somethings would just go back to their ex. And of that number, 53 percent says they only do it for some sex. Well, that's allowed. For those living together, it's a bit less: only 35 percent goes back to the ex, and of the married couples who divorced, only 17 percent found each other again. I'm almost going to speak German. But why is it actually so hard for us to let go of that ex? It's over... right?

According to science, it's already difficult to delete photos of your ex from your phone. According to relationship therapists, the whole deleting is the next step to take, namely: if you delete all those beautiful moments from your iPhone, then that love is really over. You won't get those photos back, should you ever get back together. Especially if you still have quiet hope that it might, just might, work out again. That you do end up cuddling on the couch together. And deleting those photos symbolizes a bit: you may have already broken off contact and gone your own way, but deleting that one handsome picture of you two cuddling in bed feels very definitive. Or those vacation photos: as if it never existed. As if you really will never see each other again. Because otherwise, this picture would have been quite nice to show the kids, you know.

Still, experts say it can hurt to keep those photos. So you have to think carefully about why you didn't delete them. Are you doing it as a single, out of hope for a reunion or do you just cherish the memory without ulterior motives? The latter can't hurt: then you will move on with your life anyway. But if you keep holding on to the idea of getting back together, it can become difficult if you don't get a response from the man in question. Who might have a lot of memory free on his phone.

If you believe more in numbers: the chances are, according to researchers, between 10 and 65 percent that it will be all good again between you and your broken relationship. Quite a difference, but it's also hard to research, because people are not very honest about this and moreover, many couples say things like: WE WERE NOT ON A BREAK. That they weren't really apart and were each other's ex, you know. Therefore, it is not entirely clear how great your chances are for that reconciliation. If you want it, you naturally believe in that 65 percent. If you have long been looking further in the land of singles, then keep it at that 10 percent and don't forget... to take photos in the pub. That iPhone will fill up again.