Have you ever been ghosted? Ghosting is when someone suddenly disappears from your life without any warning or explanation. They might stop responding to your texts or emails, they might avoid seeing you in person, or they might even block you on social media. It can be really confusing and frustrating, especially if you had no idea that anything was wrong. In this blog post, we’ll explore the phenomenon of ghosting and discuss why people do it. We’ll also offer some advice on how to deal with being ghosted.
Contents
What Is Ghosting?
Ghosting, as the name suggests, involves somebody vanishing out of your life, much like a ghost vanishing into thin air, without an explanation or reasoning. Although it is a relatively new term used in the context of romantic relationships, this scenario can also arise in friendship, family, or workplace. This behavior indicates that the person has simply ended the relationship without bothering to explain or give a justification. It can be troubling to adjust with as it deprives people from the chance of closure.
Why Do People Ghost?
People ghost for a variety of reasons.
- It is an easy way out of difficult, sometimes uncomfortable, conversations about people’s true feelings without acknowledging the other person’s hurt.
- Online dating has also been a contributing factor in the rise of people being ghosted. Some researches suggest that a rise in the options of possible matches on dating apps leads to the ‘thank you, next’ mentality and people keep ghosting whoever doesn’t spark their interest.
- Loosing attraction or interest may cause some someone to start avoiding the person.
- Often times, ghosters themselves admit they don’t know what to do or say in certain situations. Hence, ghosting becomes an easy escape from the awkwardness.
- Because of how commonly recurring this phenomena has become, it gives people a justified excuse to end any relationship.
- Communication gap due to unclear motives, lack of genuine openness, shift in priorities, not having enough time, etc. may lead to unjustified vanishing.
- A person may feel too overwhelmed to carry a conversation.
- They may feel threatened, disrespected, triggered or unsafe, hence, leaving without any explanation for their own safety.
Is Ghosting Ever Okay?
In certain exceptional instances where your safety or well being feels threatened, ghosting is considered an unhealthy act of disrespect. If you feel uncertain about somebody and decide not to continue the relationship, the bare minimum and kindest thing to do is to offer a few simple words about your decision, so that the other person has clarity about the situation. A person may start to feel tense, anxious and over the edge, if left abruptly without any valid explanation.
How To Deal With Ghosting?
Abandonment and rejection are difficult emotions to process. It gets particularly difficult when you are left with no rational explanation or having your feelings honored.
- Have firm and transparent conversations about your feelings and expectations before getting involved with someone new.
- It might feel like you did something wrong or that you’re not good enough. But the truth is, ghosting has nothing to do with you. It’s a phenomenon that happens when someone’s fear of confrontation or commitment gets in the way of them being able to maintain a relationship.
- When you get ghosted, it is natural to feel confused, hurt, angry and heartbroken. It is important to take time to process these feelings.
- Seek companionship from the people you trust. Spend time with people you feel emotionally safe with.
- Avoid living in the past and holding space for somebody’s unavailability just in the hope of them returning. As harsh as it may seem, it’s always better to swallow the hard pill and accept the reality.
- Learn to take risks. Try going out and interact with new people. Don’t deprive yourself of new opportunities because of past setbacks.
- Let go of past memories. Delete photos, texts, or anything that reminds you of them.
Conclusion
So there you have it. Ghosting is a social phenomenon that is here to stay. Whether we like it or not, it has become a part of our social landscape and the way we communicate. The best we can do is be aware of it and try to avoid ghosting someone ourselves.
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