Name: What Happens When Ghosting Someone
Uploaded: 2025-07-17T09:34:25.000Z
Duration: 7 min 5 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

Nowadays, not all relationships end in a fight or a dramatic goodbye.

Adverbs of degree

One day you're texting nonstop, the next, silence.

We've already talked about what it feels like to be ghosted in our video, six reasons why people ghost you.

But what about the other side of the story?

According to Psychology Today, a 2018 study reported that 25% of men and women have been ghosted in a romantic relationship, while 22% admitted to having ghosted someone else.

It's easy to call ghosting rude or immature, but for some people, it's not about being careless.

It's about shutting down when you feel overwhelmed, unsure, or emotionally drained.

And sometimes ghosting feels like the only way out.

So if you've ever been guilty of ghosting, whether it was a friend, a date, or someone you were just texting, this isn't about guilt tripping you, it's about understanding what actually happens when you disappear without a word, and why it can leave you haunted too.

You're not running from the person, you're running from the pressure.

When you're already burnt out, one more message can feel like too much.

Maybe it's someone who wants more from you than you can give.

Maybe they didn't do anything wrong, you just don't have the energy to keep showing up.

So you tell yourself, I'll reply later, but later never comes.

Days pass, then weeks, until it eventually feels too weird and too late to reach out.

It's not because you don't care, it's because you're drained.

But when silence becomes a habit, we not only miss the chance to build meaningful relationships, we may also leave others questioning themselves in ways that feel unresolved and unfair.

Even if your intention wasn't to hurt them, on the other end of all those unanswered messages is a real person who may be confused, hurt, or left questioning their worth.

Ghosting doesn't just create distance, it can create wounds, especially when someone was emotionally invested or vulnerable with you.

Avoiding discomfort might feel easier in the moment, but it can leave a lasting impact on the other person's sense of trust and closure.

You only wanted to avoid guilt, not cause harm.

Let's be honest, most people don't ghost because they wanna hurt someone, they go ghost because they're afraid of feeling guilty.

You might've thought, if I tell them I'm not interested at all, hurt their feelings.

If I explain why I need space, I'll sound selfish.

Or if I tell the truth, I'll feel like the bad guy.

You don't see their reaction, you don't deal with their disappointment, you don't have to explain yourself, but avoiding guilt doesn't mean it disappears, it lingers under the surface.

It shows up later as shame, regret, or disconnection.

And that feeling of I'm a bad communicator only grows stronger.

You might start wondering, what if I'd just been honest?

Psychologists call this emotional residue.

The guilt, shame, or discomfort we carry after doing something we know wasn't right, even if it felt necessary at the time.

Taking responsibility for the impact of our silence doesn't mean beating ourselves up.

It means acknowledging that communication is part of emotional maturity, and that we can grow into better ways of handling tough moments, both for ourselves and others.

Psychology 101, we repeat what we don't repair.

Some people ghost because they're scared of being hurt first, so they leave before they can be left.

Others grew up in homes where emotions were ignored or punished, so disappearing feels normal.

But the more you ghost, the harder it becomes to face things head on, in relationships, in work, in life, and over time, that habit can quietly chip away at our confidence and self-trust.

You might start asking yourself, why do I always run?

Maybe a better question to reflect on would be, what does disappearing protect me from?

Conflict, when handled kindly, builds emotional intelligence.

It teaches us how to set boundaries, express our feelings, and respect others' emotions, all things we need to form deep, secure relationships.

Ghosting might feel safe now, but over time, it can reinforce a belief that discomfort equals danger, and that belief can make intimacy feel threatening, even when it's safe.

If you grew up around conflict that felt scary or unpredictable, it makes sense that you avoid hard conversations.

Your nervous system might read emotional intensity as danger, even if the other person isn't yelling or accusing you.

So when you feel that, ugh, this is gonna be uncomfortable, gut reaction, your instinct is to freeze or flee.

That doesn't make you heartless, it just means you're wired to protect yourself that way.

But just because that's how it was before doesn't mean it has to stay that way.

You can learn that being honest doesn't always lead to disaster.

You can learn to tolerate emotional messiness, one small conversation at a time.

If someone is manipulative, abusive, or makes you feel anxious, your nervous system might be telling you to get out, and that's valid.

If they repeatedly cross your boundaries, dismiss your words, or try to guilt you into staying, you don't owe them closure.

If someone's being inappropriate or giving you a bad feeling early on, especially if you barely know them, block and move on.

You don't need to explain yourself to someone who made you feel unsafe or uncomfortable.

If you've ghosted someone before, you're not a bad person.

It's about being honest with yourself, understanding your patterns, and learning how to care for others and yourself with more clarity and courage.

So have you ever ghosted or been ghosted and learned something unexpected about yourself afterward?

We'd love to hear your story in the comments.

If this made you think, helped you feel seen, or sparked a new perspective, give it a like, share it with someone who needs to hear it, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful content.

Click here to watch more videos on this topic, like eight early signs someone's going to ghost you and seven signs you should cut all contact with someone.

Subtitles ListPlay Video

What Happens When Ghosting Someone

instinct

intimacy

trauma

impact