The Reason Some People Ghost Instead Of Just Being Honest In Relationships
Ghosting the person you've been dating has become a normalized path to ending a relationship. However, just because this is an acceptable practice doesn't mean it's the healthiest option. Silence speaks volumes, and those in the dating world can take the hint. There are ways to tell when someone's ghosting you. Unfortunately, this usually means they will need to find their own closure and likely won't be getting any answers from the person doing the ghosting.
Despite ghosting coming across as an immature cop-out, the lack of communication actually provides insight into that person's demeanor. Maybe there was a time when you ghosted someone because it genuinely felt like the best option. Ghosting occurs when all contact is cut off with the other person without warning or explanation. You might block their number and delete them from social media, or you may simply stop responding to their calls, texts, and DMs, silently hoping that they eventually catch your drift.
The truth is, people ghost others when they feel ill-equipped to have an open and honest conversation about compatibility. Of course, this isn't helpful for either person in the relationship, and avoiding difficult conversations in this way can actually lead to negative mental health outcomes.
Ghosting can have an impact on your mental health
According to Psychology Today, someone who has been ghosted is more likely to have trust issues in their future relationships and may also question their self-worth because of lingering feelings of dismissal.
When someone isn't given the respect of a conversation at the end of a relationship, it can leave them with a lot of scars. They may find themselves questioning if they are unworthy of closure, or if they did something to cause this person to leave without a trace. The mental battle inside a ghostee's head can get intense.
The rejection that comes from being ghosted is a different kind of pain that is often worse than the truth behind a breakup. Those who go on a date or two might find it easier to block someone they've decided isn't a good match. However, others ghost people they've been in a relationship with for much longer. This begs the question: why do people ghost instead of just being honest?
Why can't people be honest when ending a relationship?
Apparently, some people choose the path of ghosting because their relationship dynamics were unhealthy or toxic, and cutting off all communication is the safest way to remove themselves from that situation. Other people actually claim that ghosting was done as a form of consideration since being honest about their reasoning would likely hurt that person's feelings.
While ending a relationship via phone call or text message has been viewed as disrespectful for quite some time, ghosting objectively seems to take this disrespect to the next level. Plus, when the confusion of hookup culture is thrown into the mix, it creates an environment that thrives off of poor communication. Sadly, one of the main reasons people ghost is that they just don't care about the other person that much. When someone isn't valued, they are less likely to be given the respectful conversation they deserve.
Interestingly, ghosting isn't unique to romantic relationships but has been done in platonic friendships as well. According to a survey by Gili Freedman, nearly a third of people admitted to ghosting a friend and even more had been ghosted themselves. While there are many tips for dealing with a friendship that is drifting apart, it can be hard to "break up" with your bestie. Choosing to ghost them may feel like an easy out but you will likely leave some emotional damage in your wake.