Anyone who ghosts is basically aiming to end the relationship between themselves and the other person. However, people ghost for different reasons. For example, one person may be in a proper relationship with a guy but simply ‘not feeling’ things. They end up ghosting a guy to avoid having to break up in person. However, another person may have been on a few dates with a guy and decided that this guy is simply not their type. As a result, ghosting seems like a convenient option given that the relationship hasn’t progressed very far. So, does ghosting a guy work? It really depends.
Does ghosting a guy work? It depends on your relationship.
How long have you been dating?
If you and a guy have been dating for a while and you suddenly ghost him, he will likely be shocked and hurt by your actions. If he has strong feelings for you, it’s unlikely he will let the relationship go without demanding an explanation, possibly face-to-face. This is because he will seriously struggle to gain closure if you ghost him out of the blue. So yes, the relationship may be ‘over’ in your eyes, but you may have to deal with the aftermath of ghosting the guy.
On the other hand, if you haven’t been dating long and the relationship between you is not well-established, then things may be different. Again, if he likes you, he’ll surely be disappointed. However, it’s more likely that he’ll let things go and move on by himself without any emotional outbursts.
Does ghosting a guy work? Well, yes, it does mean the relationship is ‘over’ but consider the potential aftermath.
Presumably, your reason for ghosting a guy is to end the relationship between you and the guy. However, if you were hoping to avoid drama and having to explain why you no longer want to see him, you may not achieve your intended outcome. While ghosting can seem like an ‘easy’ way of breaking up with someone, it may not be that straight forward. By ghosting a guy, you may end up seriously hurting him.
Put it this way, if he really liked you, he’ll be sad at losing you. He’ll also be angry that you could end the relationship so heartlessly by ghosting him. A guy who is very hurt may end up constantly sending you angry messages and potentially harassing you. By ghosting a guy, you are potentially setting yourself up for a complicated situation.
Related: Dating After a Breakup: 7 Tips for Success
Why is breaking up properly a better option than ghosting?
Everyone hates breaking up. However, it’s still almost always a better option than ghosting a guy. By breaking up properly, it shows that you respect him as a person. Furthermore, you’ll at least give him the opportunity to gain some sense of closure. Even if he is hurt by you not wanting to see him anymore, many guys will appreciate the fact that you took the time to break up properly. Most guys will want to have some kind of discussion about your reasons for breaking up and voice their opinion on the relationship, too.
Related: Should I Break Up With My Boyfriend? Here are 5 Situations When The Answer is ‘Yes’
How ghosting a guy may affect him:
- Make it difficult for him to gain closure
- Cause him to spend time wondering what happened as he’s been denied the opportunity to ask questions
- Result in anger, confusion, psychological distress
- Negatively affect his self-esteem
Put it this way, even if the two of you are not meant to be together, he still deserves to be treated with respect. This is unless the guy has been acting disrespectfully towards you and you feel there is no other option but to ghost him to get him out of your life. Generally speaking, ghosting a guy in the context of a normal relationship is not a good way of ending things. By taking the time to end the relationship in a more decent way, you will save the guy a lot of heartache. Furthermore, you reduce the possibility of him suddenly going crazy after you ghosting him and demanding an explanation for why you ghosted him.
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