What no contact actually requires
No contact is about your behavior: not initiating, not responding, not monitoring. It doesn't technically require blocking — plenty of people do it successfully by muting and making a decision not to engage.
The goal is the outcome (reduced exposure, settled attachment), not the method.
What blocking adds
Blocking removes the temptation to monitor and the possibility of impulsive late-night contact. It also signals clearly to both parties that the channel is closed.
The cost is that it can feel like a bigger statement than you intend, and in situations with shared social circles or necessary logistics (kids, work), it can create logistical problems.
How to decide
Block if: seeing anything from them consistently derails you, you have an impulsive texting pattern, or the relationship had manipulative or controlling dynamics where their ability to reach you is a safety issue.
Don't block if: muting achieves the same practical result, you have genuine logistical overlap that requires occasional contact, or you're doing no contact from a genuinely settled place where blocking would feel disproportionate to where you actually are.
Either way, keep your streak.
No Contact 40 Days tracks your days regardless of whether you've blocked them or just decided not to engage.
Get the app — free to tryCommon questions
Does blocking make them think about you more?
Possibly — absence and scarcity do tend to increase attention. But that's not a reason to block or not block; it's a side effect that's largely out of your control either way.
Should I unblock after a certain number of days?
Only if there's a genuine reason to (logistics, genuine resolution) — not as a tactic or a date on the calendar.
No Contact 40 Days is a personal-motivation and self-improvement tool. It is not therapy or medical or mental-health advice, and it is not a substitute for professional care. If you're struggling, please reach out to a qualified professional or a local support line.