The scars of ghosting

In one of my previous articles, I have written about the reasons why some people resort to ghosting.  I had tried to summarize my observation while empathizing with the life experiences for people in my closest vicinity… of people who have been ghosted. https://soulful120829930.wordpress.com/2023/09/12/delving-into-the-top-reasons-people-ghost-in-the-digital-age/

The impact of ghosting on a person is immense ranging from pain and confusion to losing self-esteem or feeling lost. This article is an insight into the mind of a person who has been ghosted professionally or by a person he or she had trusted completely. Please read the full article to gain a deeper insight.

• Dilemma and Confused State of Mind: If you have been ghosted, you must have gone through this dilemma “What went wrong?” You never had a conflict with the person, yet that space full of concern and care suddenly transformed into a void.
• Loop of doubts:  The victim feels that his or her mind is stuck in this loop of never-ending doubts, doubts on their own self-worth, forcing them to try figuring out what mistakes in them made them undesirable enough to be left stranded without a communication… without a proper closure… without proper reason.
• A feeling of being cheated:  If it was a very deep, entangled relationship, a sudden cut-off of all sorts of communication makes the victim feel betrayed. This deeply impacts their emotional health, causing deep pain and the constant feeling of dejection.
• Depression:  The stress and the anxious feeling after being ghosted, gets very deep-seated, resulting in feelings of hopelessness and depression. The acute emotional turmoil gives rise to an impact on appetite and sleep patterns.  It’s really hard for the person to cope up with the constant feeling of exhaustion and fatigue. The victim might feel their life going off-track.
• Difficulty in laying trust: The person being ghosted keeps hunting for a closure. They tend to constantly ruminate over the relationship in an attempt to find an appropriate reason for the behavior inflicted upon them. Any future relationship will be difficult for this person, as he or she will be scared to trust someone completely ever again. It deeply impacts the innate personality.

But then, what does the person ghosting others feel like? Do they even realize the consequences of their action? If they, at all, are capable of realizing, what’s the impact on them?

• A feeling of guilt reigns over their minds.
• The tendency to avoid affects their work and friendships, family relations adversely.
• The person slowly gets tagged as unreliable….slowly diminishing their social circle…getting cornered for the avoidance behavior.
• It sidesteps their opportunity of personal growth and learning. A honest communication is a chance to remit personal flaws and evolve as a person.
• The future relationship gets affected too. Sometimes, this avoidance behavior becomes a pattern.

An open, honest communication is crucial for the well-being of both the people in a relationship. If someone finds themselves deeply affected by such an event, seeking professional help might be beneficial to deal with the effects in a better way. It’s always important to blend transparency with empathy, ensuring that open communication is both honest and kind. It’s needed for healthy bonds.