They say it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Yeah right. Anyone whoever said that probably never tried it, and if they did, they certainly didn’t have a Facebook account.

In the wake of any modern break up, social media has the potential to draw out the pain since the compulsion many people have to keep up with their ex-significant-other’s timelines and posts can be addictive. It can also be damaging; how are you supposed to heal when Facebook allows you to see how happy your ex is without you?

With that in mind, Facebook is trialling a new set of tools that will make breaking up a little easier. The pain will inevitably still be there, but when a user changes their relationship status to show that they’ve split up with a partner, they’ll be prompted to use a series of options to help ease the pain.

Users can opt to see less of their ex on Facebook without having to block or unfriend them. In an official blog post, Product Manager Kelly Winters laid out the ‘Take A Break’ options, which include limiting status updates, photos and videos that their ex can see.

The new tools are being rolled out in the US on mobile devices but Facebook says that it may roll them out to a wider audience based on user feedback.

“This work is part of our ongoing effort to develop resources for people who may be going through difficult moments in their lives,” Winters wrote. “We hope these tools will help people end relationships on Facebook with greater ease, comfort and sense of control.”