Ghosting is a toxic relationship tactic that hurts. But what do you do when a guy you’ve been seeing suddenly ghosts you?
It can be difficult to respond to a ghoster without coming off as desperate or petty. However, it’s important to keep your dignity and be honest about your feelings.
1. Tell Him Why
When a guy ghosts you, it can make you feel confused and hurt. That’s why it’s important to respond.
He deserves a chance to explain himself. If he can’t, then you should end things with him.
Hopefully, this will give him some closure and let him know that he did a mistake.
The best way to tell him how you feel is to be honest.
That way, he will understand that you are serious about your feelings and won’t ghost you again. Plus, it’s an opportunity to set healthy boundaries with him.
2. Tell Him You’re Moving On
Ghosting isn’t always the best way to end a relationship. It can hurt people and lead to long-term anxiety.
Relationship therapist Shena Tubbs, MMFT, LPC, CSAT-C, suggests sending an honest message to tell the person that you noticed they haven’t been as responsive lately.
You can also use the text to remind them of good times together. Whether it was your first date or your longest friendship, bringing up a shared memory will help them remember that you’re still around.
Then, you can ask them if they’re ready to start a new chapter in their life. If they say yes, you can then move on to find someone else. But if they say no, you can be clear with them that you’re no longer interested.
3. Tell Him You’re Human
Ghosting is a surprisingly common dating tactic that involves cutting off communication without explanation. It is also a form of social rejection that can have a significant negative impact on a person’s mental health.
In fact, it can have a greater effect on women than men because the sudden radio silence is harder to process and can make you question your sanity.
That’s why it’s important to respond appropriately when you get a text from someone you ghosted.
If you’re not sure what to say, try sending a quick message along the lines of “hey! I just noticed that you haven’t been as responsive lately, so I thought I’d check in with you.” This is a way to keep it casual and detached, so they can’t use it to reel you back into their life.
4. Tell Him You’re Sorry
If a guy ghosted you, you should respond in a way that shows him you’re not impressed by his childish behavior. It also lets him know that you’re not upset about the situation and are moving on.
If you’ve been ghosted, your self-esteem can suffer. Often, ghostings trigger thoughts such as “I’m a bad catch” or “He’ll never want me back.”
Instead of getting stuck in those negative thoughts, try to counter them with positive ones that will build your self-esteem. You might even want to create a set of self-love affirmations you tell yourself every time the limiting thought creeps in.
You can also send a message that lets him know you’re sorry for ghosting him, but you don’t need him in your life anymore. It’s a simple, yet effective text that will make him feel like you’re not fooling around or trying to get his attention.
5. Tell Him You’re Moving On
If you think that your ex might come back and be interested in rekindling your relationship, tell him you’re moving on. This doesn’t mean you’re not interested in him anymore, it just means that you don’t need him any more.
Remind them of good times that you had together and share any memories you have about each other. This will help you both to remember what was great about the relationship and get closure.
You might also want to ask them why they ghosted you in the first place. This will give you an idea whether they were trying to avoid commitment or were just feeling lonely.