Have you recently bumped into an ex but, to your surprise, he did not even acknowledge your presence? You may be wondering or asking your friends “I ran into my ex and he ignored me, why?” Presumably, running into your ex came as a surprise and you do not encounter each other on a regular basis. It’s normal feel awkward or confused after being ignored. You may even find it downright offensive, especially if the two of you had dated for a long time. However, rest assured that being ignored by an ex is a very common scenario.
Remember: he has a right to ignore you
- We are all allowed to ignore whoever we want
First things first, remember that everyone has a right to ignore someone else. We ignore other people when we feel somewhat awkward about the interaction or simply do not want to speak to them. We may simply not like the other person and not want to deal with them.
Being ignored by an ex when running into them is especially common because you are not just ‘any’ person. Even if the decision to break up was mutual, there are often unresolved feelings and questions at the end of a relationship. If your ex ignored you, he may want to avoid dealing with any feelings that may arise from seeing you.
Reason 1. It was awkward and he didn’t know what to say
- Bumping into an ex is often an awkward situation for both people
- Awkward small talk can be worse than just walking on by
A common reason for being ignored by an ex is the awkwardness of the situation. They likely did not expect to run into you. They may have been out and about running errands or out with friends and seeing you was a surprise. Often, guys will feel uncomfortable bumping into an ex. As a result, they may not know how to react or what to say. Not everyone is great at small talk and it can easily come across as forced.
Reason 2. He didn’t see the point in talking to you
- He may have thought: What am I going to achieve by talking to my ex?
For some men (and women), when a relationship is over, they don’t look back. These types are not interested in staying friends with exes, or even maintaining contact. Their priority is moving on with their life and they are not interested in knowing what their exes are up to. If your ex is this kind of person, he likely did not see any point in talking to you. He is simply not interested in knowing how you’ve been or what you’ve been up to.
Reason 3. He still has feelings for you and talking to you would make it more difficult to get over the breakup
- If he still has feelings for you, he may be intentionally trying to remove reminders of you
- Talking to you will be counterproductive in this situation
Regardless of who initiated the breakup, if you suspect he still has feelings for you, he may still be trying to get over the end of the relationship. Talking to an ex who you still have feelings for can easily stir up feelings of loss and loneliness. By ignoring you, he may have been intentionally maintaining a distance from you. This way, he would not be reminded of all the qualities he likes about you and the times you had together.
Reason 4. He’s dating someone new
- If he’s dating someone new, he might be ignoring you out of respect for his new relationship.
- Or, the new person he’s seeing may have expressed that they would prefer him not to communicate with exes
If you ran into your ex and he ignored you, chances are, he could be dating someone new. Even if your breakup was very recent, this is still a possibility. This is not to say that all guys who are already dating someone new will ignore their exes. However, it does increase the likelihood.
Many people would consider flat out ignoring an ex somewhat harsh, even if they are dating someone new. However, some guys may have zero interest in talking to someone they previously dated, especially when they are in a new relationship.
An ex who ignores you may be doing so out of respect for the person they are currently seeing. It’s even possible that the person they are currently seeing has forbid them to have any contact with exes.
Reason 5. He doesn’t like you and wants to stay away
- If he dislikes you as a person then he will not want to speak to you at all
If the breakup went badly and your ex felt you wronged him in any way, he may have been upset by your actions. It depends on his perception of you during the relationship and the breakup. If he felt that he was treated badly, he may still have lingering negative feelings towards you. It’s possible that he just does not like you and, as a result, does not want to have any interaction with you at all.
Related: Dating After a Breakup: 7 Tips for Success
Reason 6. He wasn’t expecting to bump into anyone he knows and was not in the mood to chat
- Maybe he was just not in the mood to bump into anyone he knows
Many of us have been in the situation where you’ve grabbed the easiest outfit and rushed out to run some errands nearby. Your clothes may be mismatching and your hair unbrushed. Basically, you’re not looking your finest. However, you’re not expecting to bump into anyone you know. Unfortunately, it’s often these moments that we often end up bumping into the last person you’d want to see.
If your ex was dressed scruffier than usual he may have not been anticipating he would bump into anyone. Put yourself in his shoes; if you happened to bump into an ex not looking your finest, would you really want to stop and chat?
If you’ve been wondering why your ex ignored you after running into him, remember that it does not really matter.
Don’t overthink things
At the end of the day, it’s unlikely that you’ll figure out why your ex ignored you. However, it does not matter. Your relationship is in the past and he does not play any significant part of your present life.
If bumping into your ex stirred up old feelings, focus on the reasons why you broke up
When bumping into an ex, it’s normal to be reminded of the times you shared together. It may even trigger old feelings when you reminisce about the past. The relationship is over and even if you have fond memories, he is not your future.
Him ignoring you does not mean you did anything wrong
Being ignored after running into an ex does not mean that you did anything wrong. It’s far more likely that he just felt a bit awkward about your unexpected encounter and simply did not know what to say.
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