Ghosting — the practice of ending all communication with someone without giving an explanation — can happen in any type of relationship and it’s more common than you may think. A 2019 survey revealed that a whopping one-third of U.S. adults confessed to doing it in an interpersonal relationship. Ghosting may be a common practice in today’s world, but that doesn’t make it any less rude or unkind. Occasionally, someone will unintentionally ghost because they’re forgetful, but the most common reason people go incommunicado is simply because it’s easier than having a difficult conversation. They don’t know how to leave a relationship or say no to someone, so they just stop talking instead. What should you do if you’ve been ghosted? There isn’t a lot you can do to fix things if you’re the one being ghosted, but if you have a need to get to the bottom of things, you can begin by reaching out to see if there was a miscommunication. If you don’t hear back, you should respect the other person's boundaries, as painful and confusing as that may be. Whatever you do, don’t get others involved. It’s tempting to ask a friend to talk to the person doing the ghosting, but that rarely ends well. The only thing you can do to get past it is to do some serious self-care. That could mean spending more time on a hobby you love, focusing on other relationships in your life, meeting new people, or even seeking a therapist to help you work through it. The important thing to avoid is withdrawing socially. That will only serve to make you feel more isolated and will reinforce any negative feelings you may have. Focus on both nurturing existing relationships and forming new ones.
