Ghosting, quite simply, is the act of disappearing from someone’s life, without any prior warning. Ghosting may involve ignoring messages and phone calls, removing connections on social media and publicly ignoring a person. It eventually becomes apparent that the relationship is, in fact, over.
Why Do People Ghost?
For the person doing the ghosting, ghosting removes a lot of the awkwardness and unpleasantness associated with ending a relationship. Break ups can be messy and time-consuming. By cutting off communication, they avoid needing to explain why they no longer wish to see the other person. Furthermore, they can avoid the other person’s questions and their accountability for what happened in the relationship. Therefore, the person doing the ghosting essentially escapes all of the potential problems that may arise from ending the relationship. However, their actions may cause severe distress for the other person.
Related: Been Ghosted? Read These Real Reasons Why People Ghosted Someone.
Who Gets Ghosted?
The phenomenon of ghosting has become increasingly common in modern day dating (especially in online dating). The term came about in the mid 2000s and gained popularity alongside the rise of online dating. Ghosting is extremely common and happens to both men and women. Ghosting can happen before the first date or even during a serious relationship, in some cases. Regardless of the duration of the relationship, the resulting feelings of confusion, heartache and frustration can be equally painful.
Aside from romantic relationships, ghosting can also in relationships between friends and colleagues.
What Are The Consequences Of Ghosting?
Being ghosting is a cruel way of being rejected. The person being ghosted may feel hurt and confused as to why the other person, walked away. Further contributing to this confusion is the inability to ask the other person why, due to severed means of communication. Often, those who have been ghosted may not want to seek advice from family and friends. This can make it even more difficult to deal with.
If you’ve been ghosted, you are not alone. Read our guide on how to deal with ghosting for tips on how to move on after being ghosted.
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