You Don’t Got a Friend in Me

Photo courtesy: LinkedIn

Never ghost others—unless it’s deserved. The term “ghosting” is used for instances when the recipient does not read a sent message, although it has popped up as a notification. At this point in our high school lives, ghosting is pretty much a universal experience. In fact, 84 percent of Gen-Z and millennials have testified to having been ghosted at some point, and some of these people have undeniably felt abandonment, neglect, and loneliness. On the other hand, of the 65% of Gen-Z and millennials who have ghosted others, 69% have felt regret for their actions. While the action of ghosting is deplorable, there are some rare instances where it is better to turn a swift cold shoulder.

Signs of Dishonesty

If the person you are texting consistently shows signs of lying, or if things just don’t seem to fall into place or make sense, the only safe measure might be to disappear. When the person you are texting is clearly trying to manipulate their words and actions to seem like the better person, not only is a sincere conversation unable to happen, but the situation could possibly escalate into a gaslighting scheme. When the dishonesty becomes unbearable, what point is there to go through the hassle of telling the other person about their behavior? Before you end up sucked into the manipulative tactics of a person who lies, your best bet could be to disengage and disappear into a puff of smoke. 

Inconsistent Tiki-taka

Is there anything more frustrating than falling into the cycle of receiving a reply 10 hours after you replied to that person in 5 seconds? When someone consistently shows disinterest or disengagement, perhaps you may not be on their priority list. An unbalanced level of engagement can be highly irritating and deleterious for mental health. Are you truly being valued if someone’s behavior remains unchanged even after discussing your feelings with them? If it is clear that you have tried to develop a genuine connection with somebody and that person constantly showed signs of neglect, perhaps you should simply let go and say goodbye. 

They Don’t Catch on

When you have signaled multiple times that you feel uncomfortable talking to someone, but they don’t stop talking to you, cut the chat. Protected behind a rectangular screen, users can often say unhinged and insensitive remarks. Due to this characteristic of instant messaging, instigators can easily make others feel uncomfortable through constant pestering or even online harassment. You have the full right to cut this person off without becoming a bad person. The fact that this person’s presence makes you feel uncomfortable is sufficient justification for you to ghost them, especially in an online scenario. 

Being ghosted feels terrible. But this fact should not deter you from noticing red flags and cutting off unhealthy bonds. Remember that you have full agency of who you keep in your life not only in real life, but also online. In the end, protecting your peace is always worth more than keeping toxic connections.