On Attachment #224: I Drunk Texted My Ex and Feel So Much Shame — Help! (Ask Steph)
Jan 15, 2026
Drunk texting an ex can lead to a morning of shame, but you're not alone! The conversation tackles why this happens, especially post-breakup when emotions run high. Tips for handling the situation include keeping follow-ups simple and avoiding the temptation to over-explain. Setting practical guardrails, like pausing drinking and blocking contacts, can help prevent future slip-ups. Instead of spiraling into shame, listeners are encouraged to view these moments as learning opportunities to rebuild self-trust and make healthier choices.
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Why Drunk Texting Feels Inevitable
- Drunk texting an ex is a common human response when inhibitions lower and loneliness increases.
- Stephanie Rigg frames this as predictable rather than shameful, normalizing the behavior to reduce self-blame.
Send A Short, Simple Follow-Up
- If you want, send a short follow-up acknowledging the overstep and apologising briefly.
- Keep it simple like "sorry, shouldn't have done that" and avoid over-explaining.
Put Practical Guardrails In Place
- Create concrete guardrails to prevent repeating the behaviour instead of relying on willpower.
- Examples include pausing drinking, deleting the number, blocking, or unfollowing on social media.