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 It Means 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.
