It hurts to know that someone you care about on the other end of a text, phone call or email has gotten your message and chosen not to reply.
Whether it's a potential romantic partner, a friend or a family member, when relationships become uneven, it cuts at our very core.
Being "ghosted" isn't anything new, but it's made worse in a world of instant messaging, online dating and social media. Experts say this can impact our mental health in ways we might not even realize.
What Does It Mean To Be Ghosted?
A January 2023 study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found that ghosted people lacked a sense of closure in their relationships. Study author Christina Leckfor, a Ph.D. student in psychology at the University of Georgia, says that being ghosted is more common than it used to be, thanks to modern technology.