What to do when your best friend ignores you for no reason?
How To Handle The Situation
Talk It Out. The ultimate way to get clarity is to have a conversation with your friend, keeping in mind that you want to avoid coming off as blaming or attacking them. ...
When your friend decides to start ignoring you for an extended length of time, it's pretty safe to assume that something has indeed changed. A lot of the time it won't even be because you did something wrong. Rather, they just want nothing to do with you anymore for whatever weird, personal reason they have.
If your friend suddenly stops talking to you, they may simply be taking time to recharge as a means of self-care. Having a strong social network is beneficial to your health and well-being. But socializing can be psychologically and mentally exhausting—for both introverts and extroverts.
“They might get really overwhelmed and feel disrespected or unheard, and either they don't know how to talk about it, or maybe as a friend, you also didn't have the ability to listen to it.” Ghosting is often an extreme response, likely to a big emotion. And frequently, ghosting may not be about you at all.
Circumstances: Your lives have changed (no longer working together, going to the same school, etc.). Distance: You've grown apart in terms of interests or commitments. Lying: Your friend is deceitful. Negativity: Your friend spends more time cutting you down than building you up.
Obviously, most people don't meet all of their friends during childhood and, unfortunately, not all friendships last forever. The poll found that the average friendship lasts for 17 years, however, 17 percent say they've had the same best friend for over 30 years!
“It means the friend either does not have the energy, emotional readiness, time, or ability to confront the person they are ghosting,” psychotherapist Dr. Kimberly Schaffer told HelloGiggles. “They are choosing themselves over the person they ghosted.”
Recent research has revealed why people may end friendships. The reasons can be categorized into four categories, including selfishness, infrequent interaction, romantic involvement, and perceptions.
Ghosting hurts; it's a cruel rejection. It is particularly painful because you are left with no rationale, no guidelines for how to proceed, and often a heap of emotions to sort through on your own. If you suffer from any abandonment or self-esteem issues, being ghosted may bring them to the forefront.
To stop the friendship, delete or block them on social media, or anywhere else they might be able to contact you. If you go to school or uni with them, see if you can make sure you're not in any classes together. But remember, cutting off a friendship can have major consequences.
Overwhelmingly, all the experts we consulted recommend not texting anything after being ghosted. We know! It's hard. Sending a message is just not worth your time or energy, especially since you can't control the response.
Yes, ghosting is disrespectful and an immature way to treat someone — here's how to respond. Ghosting is when someone who you've gone on a date with suddenly stops responding to you. People may ghost if they want to avoid the breakup talk or you've offended them in some way.
One of the biggest challenges when experiencing a friendship ending is not having that person to lean on. Focus on scheduling activities and reconnecting with loved ones (but avoid bad-mouthing your situation to mutual friends). It may also help to reach out to a therapist, who can help you sort through your emotions.
Drifting apart or losing friendships entirely is a natural part of life—and it's something experts call the "friendship curve." The less depressing news is that there are ways to feel at peace with it.
