Ask These 3 Questions If Your Partner Still Talks To Their Ex

Feeling secure in your relationship is crucial, but if you aren’t there yet, your SO texting their ex might become a bigger issue than it needs to be. “A person fixates or feels insecure because their intuition is telling them that something doesn't feel right,” Jennifer L. McBride McNamara, MA, LAMFT, a licensed associate marriage and family therapist, told Bustle. “The fixation becomes the guidepost for where the relationship lacks security.”

Getting nervous about your partner’s communication with their ex is likely a symptom of this insecurity rather than a cause. In other (somewhat harsher) words, if you felt completely secure and confident in your relationship, a few texts between your partner and their ex would not change that.

Still, there’s a difference between healthy and unhealthy communication with an ex, and a lot of it has to do with your current relationship status. "It may be more costly to your new relationship to keep in touch with a recent ex, even if that person has moved on, because there may be unresolved emotions there," says Dr. QuaVaundra Perry, a licensed psychologist specializing in relationship distress.

It’s not all about timing, though. Perry explains that if your relationship with your SO is already on shaky ground (whether you’ve been together a month or a year), it may not withstand a friendship with an ex. That all sounds very doom and gloom, but there is a silver lining. "However, if the current relationship is thriving, a sufficient amount of time has passed, and there are no romantic feelings involved, it may not be a threat to the new relationship," says Dr. Perry.

What their communication looks like is also important. Long story short: If it seems sketchy, it probably is. "You should be worried about an ex when your partner is defensive or secretive about their communication or the nature of their conversations," Dr. Perry explains. "If it's truly a healthy relationship with an ex, your partner should be willing to communicate with him or her in your presence." That might seem obvious, but it’s an important distinction to make. If your partner mentions that their ex reached out to them in passing and isn’t stingy with the details, it’s a lot less concerning than a SO who is constantly resetting their phone password and dodging questions.

The frequency of their conversations also matters. Perry says you also have a right to be worried if your SO is talking to an ex just as frequently or more frequently than they talk to you. (Duh.) Daily messages and phone calls between exes are pretty much always a bad idea — unless they’re trying to get back together. Same with late night or early morning texts, which can signify a level of disrespect toward your current relationship. FYI, in Perry’s experience, most healthy, platonic relationships with exes involve brief, infrequent messages or phone calls.

Another sign that something may be up? Your SO’s ex being rude to or about you. The two of you don’t have to be best friends (TBH, that sounds super awkward), but a cordial, respectful relationship is healthy. "You may also be suspicious if the ex-partner seems to have unwarranted hostility toward you," Dr. Perry explains. If their hostility is obvious enough for you to notice it, it might be obvious enough for your partner to see it, too. At that point, new boundaries need to be set.

Open communication with your SO is always a good idea, and it can be especially important for touchy topics like exes. Understandably, this convo can be a difficult one to approach. Especially in a new relationship, you want to be careful not to make unfounded accusations or appear unnecessarily jealous. Plus, you want to make sure to give your relationship enough time so you can see the full picture. Dr. Perry suggests you observe their communication pattern over a period of time, so that you can have examples to present to your partner, rather than just one incident. (Plus, it could have been a one-off situation — something you’ll only really be able to tell if you wait.)

Once you are ready to bring it up, try to present your concerns as calmly as possible, checking to see how your partner reacts. "A caring partner will likely respond with an acknowledgment of your concerns and make an effort to work with you to set boundaries on the old relationship,” Dr. Perry explains. On the other hand, “[i]f your partner seems defensive or dismissive of your concerns, that is likely a red flag that their relationship [with their ex] is a lot closer than you suspect.” A close relationship might not mean a romantic one, but it still could prove to be a problem. Again, your relationship with your partner should take priority.

Your partner having a friendship with their ex is really as big of a deal as you make it. At the end of the day, keeping in contact does not mean they still have feelings for each other, or that they are being at all unfaithful. Still, if it concerns you, there’s probably a reason. Of course, your feelings are valid, but you shouldn’t let them get the best of you. If your relationship is strong and healthy, a few texts between exes here and there won’t get in the way. If they do, it’s time to move on to something better.