I have some exes that I wanted to and could be friends with (one I was for several years). But it just doesn’t fly with a new domestic partnership. I can tell my current girlfriend that I’m going to see female friends, but going out with friends who I’ve previously had sexual relations with is stretching it. I wouldn’t want my girlfriend to do that and so I won’t do it to her.

It makes me a bit sad, but I have effectively ended those friendships by no longer agreeing to seeing them.

I also have exes that I wouldn’t wish on my biggest enemy and I avoid them like the plague.

Some, some not.

Yeah, I’m friends with 2, we were in a poly relationship and I quit. My mentall health was awful which was affecting my relationships with them, so I distanced away for like 2 years. Now we speak regularly, share some news and stories, they even wanna invite me to their wedding, I’m so happy for them🥹

I keep in touch with 2 here and there - we don’t really talk much, but maybe a couple times a year at most. On good terms with both, but just living our own lives.

The other two I haven’t said a word to in years. One I’ve completely cut contact with, along with her entire circle I used to be friends with, once I snapped out of it and realized I’d just been taken advantage of and the whole group was toxic. Shitshow and a half, and also a big part of why I stepped away from a specific game’s community that we met through.

The last one I don’t like to dwell on too much, because in this case I know I was the abusive asshole - I’ve grown and changed since then, and there’s no point opening old wounds by reaching out. I hope they’re doing well these days and have processed and healed from the damage I know I caused.

I’m still in touch with my first ever partner after almost 8 years after the breakup. I still very much love them, but not romantically though, they’re a person i wouldn’t want to miss in life!

BUT even with them we only started being friends about 2 years after the breakup. I can say for myself my dumb ass wouldn’t be able to process that emotionally at an earlier point.

My last partner blocked me everywhere, but considering the circumstances i can’t blame them. We were both bringing out the worst in each other and the shit life threw at us was just too much to handle - depression, cancer diagnosis (i really hope they’re doing well) & financial troubles.

so it depends on the case.

Some yes, some no. Gonna depend on the circumstances of every breakup

They generally become acquaintances. There’s no hostility, but also way less of a reason to catch up and hang out.

I have had three serious relationships prior to my current one and I have lost contact with all of them.

None of the break ups were all that messy. In two of them we just grew bored of each other and the third one ended because I moved.

I never bothered to keep in touch with any of them or reach out to any of them. When it is over it is over.

I don’t see how I could downgrade the relationship to a “friends” level.

not really anymore, but only for usually drifting apart from old friends reasons. it is hard (for me) to maintain friendships when the other party lives thousands of kilometers away, and everyone is too poor and busy to travel.

Are you still friends with any of your axes

FTFY and yes

Yeah, just one. He left me for religious reasons (we’re both men). Took me a long time to actually get over him, but I moved on and married and such. The three of us hang out sometimes.

I do kinda wish I could convince him to be a little less religiously wacky. Oh well.

Yeah. We text occasionally and she might visit on the way through the state soon. It’s not a close friendship but we like staying in touch

I usually just have flings. But I’m still friends with some of them.

Some yes, some no. For those I do stay friends with, I still take a break and go low/no contact with them for a while before resuming friendship. I need it to draw a line, so to speak, between the old relationship and friendship.

I’ve also had guys want to “remain friends” while they really meant hookup buddy. A break helps suss out those who are disingenuous with their stated intentions.