Does the Hurt of Being Ghosted Make Us Impulsive?

"Ghosting, the sudden and unexplained ending of communication in a relationship, is now a common form of rejection. Unfortunately, ghosting has become normalized as a stealthy act of abandonment in a digital world-a disappearing act that we can all get away with. But ghosting is not only rejection, as painful as that is. Being ghosted utterly leaves us without closure or explanation. We are not only gutted by loss, we are spinning in rumination, confusion and self-doubt."

"This dark confluence of forces is a perfect set up for falling into impulsive online behaviors and other maladaptive habits. Anyone who has ever been ghosted by someone close or important to them, professionally or personally, knows how devastating ghosting can be. Given the recent research showing the emotional damage of ghosting, and considering the serious attention towards this problem, more psychotherapists, educators, healthcare providers as well as our peers, friends, and families are aware and prepared to address the fallout of being ghosted."

"But many of us are left behind after a ghosting without any social support from close friends, available family members, or professionals. We are on our own, trying to go on, escaping the inner demons of rumination by reaching for the low-hanging fruit of distraction online-sweet or bittersweet. Driven by the Distress of Being Ghosted-Online Impulsivity and More Over the past five years, studies have shown that being ghosted can trigger rumination, self-doubt, low self-esteem, uncertainty, insecurity, anxiety, depression, and loneliness."

Ghosting is the sudden, unexplained ending of communication that has become a normalized form of rejection and digital abandonment. Being ghosted leaves people without closure, producing rumination, confusion, and self-doubt that compound emotional pain. The combination of loss and uncertainty fosters impulsive online behaviors and other maladaptive habits. Research over the past five years links ghosting to rumination, low self-esteem, uncertainty, insecurity, anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Greater professional awareness exists among psychotherapists, educators, and healthcare providers, yet many individuals remain isolated after ghosting and lack social or professional support.

Read at Psychology Today