Why does she change her social media picture so frequently?

[FallenOne]

When we were together, she ALWAYS had a picture of her and myself... Always... Not once did she ever have a picture of something else or just a picture by herself. She rarely changed it as well...

Any time I changed MY picture to a picture that was me by myself, or something other than a picture of us, she would freak out and wonder what was going on (thought it meant breaking up)... .

But, every time she has broken up with me, she starts taking all these different selfies of herself and changes her picture multiple times a week... She also appears EXTREMELY happy in these pictures... .right after a breakup...

I know there is reasoning behind this and there is a psychology behind why she does this, but I wanted to ask all of you for your opinion on it?

[Pretty Woman]

1) She's not happy
2) She knows you are checking FB so she's trying to make you jealous
3) Why are you doing this to yourself?

That last one was not like the others 

Stay off social media and analyzing. It will only hurt you. It tells a FAKE story. Since you aren't talking to her directly you are basing things off the pictures you see. No one puts the worst parts of themselves on display on FB. You are seeing what SHE wants to project... .doesn't mean it's real.

My ex had very specific patterns when she was with me. When she would dump me up would go a pic of a raging tiger or lion. They were aggressive, angry animal pics. Then would go up a pic of an activity she had done in the past with an ex, like a vacation pic. There was a distinct pattern in her FB pic rotation.

With my replacement she has had the same profile pic up for over a year. It's a pic of her and my replacement beaming.

There is no pattern as with me. Now does that mean everything is "peachy"? No. After awhile they have to change tactics or they stop working. When people are "on to them" they need to change things up.

If your ex was an ahole she's still one. Trust me.
 

Try to block or stop looking at FB. Truly, for your own good. It does no good.

[FallenOne]

1) She's not happy
2) She knows you are checking FB so she's trying to make you jealous
3) Why are you doing this to yourself?

That last one was not like the others 

Stay off social media and analyzing. It will only hurt you. It tells a FAKE story. Since you aren't talking to her directly you are basing things off the pictures you see. No one puts the worst parts of themselves on display on FB. You are seeing what SHE wants to project... .doesn't mean it's real.

My ex had very specific patterns when she was with me. When she would dump me up would go a pic of a raging tiger or lion. They were aggressive, angry animal pics. Then would go up a pic of an activity she had done in the past with an ex, like a vacation pic. There was a distinct pattern in her FB pic rotation.

With my replacement she has had the same profile pic up for over a year. It's a pic of her and my replacement beaming.

There is no pattern as with me. Now does that mean everything is "peachy"? No. After awhile they have to change tactics or they stop working. When people are "on to them" they need to change things up.

If your ex was an ahole she's still one. Trust me.
 

Try to block or stop looking at FB. Truly, for your own good. It does no good.

I do have her blocked, but I can still see old messages on my timeline from her, and even with her blocked, the picture updates when she changes it...

It honestly isn't hurting me... I am more or less trying to understand the psychology behind why she does it.

[ICantFixHer]

It honestly isn't hurting me... I am more or less trying to understand the psychology behind why she does it.

She does it because she assumes (correctly) you are looking at her FB page and she is doing everything in her power to do what she always does, which is to hurt or confuse you.

I used to be very active on FB but last July I deactivated my account due to ex and flying monkeys. At first I missed it but after a month I felt liberated. I haven't been back to FB since.

[once removed]

think projection, and a person with a fragile sense of self investing a bit of image in her profile picture (and considering that she perceived your changing yours as tantamount to a breakup).

[ynwa]

Im the same place as you. I'm on LC, trying not to contact her because I need to keep civil until I switch the lease to my name.

I'm also not fully detached enough to stop wondering if she cares about me and what she did.  I'm not going to ask, but I'm still amazed she doesn't. And I'm still checking on her to make sure she's ok, and wondering if there is anything I can do.  I can't. And shouldn't. 

Going with the assumption that you are feeling the same way, I know I've said "it doesn't hurt me, I'm good with it" but I'm not. And you probably aren't either.

That's ok though, you can't just shut off feelings, misguided or not. It's a lot to just make something "vanish" and act like the giant elephant shaped thing isn't still there. 

I'm glad you shared, and I know it's hard.   And like prettywoman said IF YOUR EX WAS AN A**HOLE she probably still is.

[talks to angels]

Read that its common for them to change their social media pics frequently. It could be because you are looking. But more than likely because they get attention. Which is all they think about non stop

[Dhand77]

My ex also did the same thing. New profile pics multiple times a week, and oh so many thirsty dudes showering her in likes and compliments. But, when we were together? She would barely change her pic.

I always assumed it came from a place of insecurity and her instinctive defense mechanism to 'punish' me by showing off how great her life is without me in it.

It's called Facebook for a reason.

[Curiously1]

I think she is just seeking attention/a reaction like everyone's already pointed out.

The two BPD girls I have been close to  are actually the opposite. They are active but never update their profile pictures for like a whole year so not all of them does that.

However, there are particular girls that I have on FB who I don't know well that update their display pictures all the time. Some are diagnosed BPD and talk about their BPD issues a lot and share links about BPD for people to read about and some of them I don't know for certain if they have some kind of mental illness or PD.

To each their own but the amount of times they change pictures, change relationships, post so many quotes and sayings about love, breakups them hurting, ranting, or the amount of animal pictures or videos they post daily I just can't help but think there is something not quite right about them. BPD or not. People do notice and wonder the same things. Why are they so excessive and attention-seeking like that? etc. Most people I know who don't do those things assume people like that have issues.