People do the darnedest things, don’t they? One particularly annoying phenomenon is when someone unexpectedly blocks you on social media or blocks your number for seemingly no reason. It’s almost like one day you two were chatting away and then BAM! You’re locked out. While it can be tempting to fly off the handle and demand answers as to why this happened, this solution may not be the most productive or helpful response.
Instead, try to put yourself in their shoes. Maybe they recently had a bad experience online and just need space; perhaps they needed a break from a few people but didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Or maybe (just maybe) there was an honest misunderstanding that can easily be remedied. Of course, there are also other possibilities that are more personal and more likely and that’s what we will be addressing in today’s article!
Either way, it’s always worth trying to understand before writing someone off entirely; even if it requires some deep breaths and a lot of reflection, or self-questioning! Reflection is more likely to lead to an amicable resolution at the end, rather than blind accusations of rudeness and mistrust. So next time you find yourself blocked, take a moment and look at things from a different perspective. Most importantly, consider all the reasons listed below and see if any apply, before responding. It will probably save you time and embarrassment in the long run.
5 reasons why someone would block you for seemingly no reason:
1. You sent them or posted too many annoying videos:
Ah yes, the age-old question: why would someone block you? It’s a mystery that has stumped generations of displaced friends and broken dreams. But the first answer that comes to mind when the cause is not a personal issue is that it could be something as trivial as posting too many cat memes.
We all have that old auntie that sends us a lot of unnecessary reels or that cannot differentiate between fake photoshopped videos and real ones. So as a result, she ends up sending us a hundred videos a week. All of these are either fake news videos or fabricated mediocre clips that claim to be miracles caught on tape. Of course, if you do have such an auntie or family friend or anyone who fits the above-described profile then you probably thought about blocking them at least once.
This is to say that if you have been bombarding your social media feed with things only you think are funny or sending them to someone specific and you’ve been blocked then maybe that’s the reason!
2. You said or did something inappropriate or offensive:
You know those people in your life that you don’t necessarily interact with, but you’re still connected via social media? You might not be aware of how off-the-cuff comments or cringe-worthy jokes can land you in hot water with them. You may even find yourself blocked without warning by them! While it’s normal to want to express yourself online, there are times when doing too much or saying the wrong thing could lead you to get blocked by someone.
If you got blocked by someone who doesn’t interact with you closely and daily then maybe you posted or told them directly something that clashes with their core beliefs and values. Perhaps, you said or did something inappropriate or offensive and they didn’t agree with it or felt uncomfortable with the way it was presented.
If that’s the case, sometimes a polite block is all they need to take a step back from the drama. It’s always wiser to think before you post and consider if something could possibly be misconstrued as rude, crude, discriminatory, or tactless; because if it does get noticed by the wrong person… Let’s just say blocking may be only one of many repercussions that follow.
3. They may have made a mistake and want to save face:
Thirdly, when someone blocks you on social media, it’s like playing a game of hide-and-seek without the hiding part. It’s no secret that some people have something to hide and feel the urge to avoid being confronted with uncomfortable questions or topics. Blocking you can help ensure that any conversations remain under their control or simply out of question, especially if they wronged you or made a mistake. Ignoring your messages is possible but it will make them feel guiltier and even possibly embarrassed, but blocking goes one step further in silencing voices they’d rather not hear.
For example, if someone has said something insensitive or irresponsible and is challenged on it, they may feel inclined to dodge accountability by blocking the person asking the questions. In reality, however, pressing the block button won’t solve anything; it just creates a convenient cloak of invisibility.
Ultimately, those who play games of hide-and-seek by blocking others aren’t running away from them; they’re running away from their own actions. So perhaps instead of taking them out of the equation altogether, it might be better to address any underlying issues head-on. There’s no point in avoiding confrontation forever!
4. They just need a temporary little break from you:
Fourthly, sometimes, when someone blocks you; it boils down to the fact that they need a break. Now, we all like spending time with our friends and family; but it can feel draining after a while if there’s too much of it. It happens more often than you might think; this desire to shut the phone off and ‘ghost’ everyone in our lives, or at least the most demanding and draining individuals.
Blocking is the digital equivalent of ghosting: instead of cutting ties verbally by phasing someone out, you do it digitally by not allowing them to contact you at all. Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean that your relationship is over forever; knowing when to take some space from each other can be an important part of maintaining a strong connection. So keep in mind that someone who blocked you may still show up a week or two later and throw a silly excuse at you like: “my phone got hacked”, or something similar.
And in this case, the only reason why they must’ve done it is that they simply needed a break from constant contact, and that’s totally okay. So try not to embarrass them by asking a million questions regarding the excuse or little lie they made up to justify their absence as that will just annoy them more. So if someone blocks you for a bit, don’t panic; just know that giving each other some breathing room can be beneficial in the long run.
5. They are done with you and don’t want to hear about you again:
Why someone blocked you doesn’t always matter, in the end. Sometimes, it is wiser to consider the purpose behind their actions. It is possible that the only reason a person has blocked is that they simply don’t want to hear from you ever again or at least they’re not ready for it right now. In other words, when someone blocks you, in most cases, they either don’t want to hear your side of the story or are simply trying to avoid confrontation.
Whatever the reason, it’s important to take a step back and respect their choice. Remember that blocking helps protect both parties involved by allowing each person space to handle the situation in their own way. Whether it’s a joke gone wrong or a more serious disagreement, we can all benefit from taking an extra moment to collect our thoughts before responding. Who knows; maybe blocked message notifications aren’t so bad after all!