 Dating in today's world is so complicated. There are so many rules, regulations, and hidden meanings that it's almost necessary to get a manual when you first become attracted to someone. It's scary enough trying to find someone that wants the same thing as you, whatever that may be, without worrying about the million other things that could happen to make such a fantastic experience go wrong. For some reason, today's society views suddenly disappearing from someone's life as acceptable behavior in the dating realm. As many of you know and unfortunately experienced, this concept has been dubbed ghosting, or in action form, to ghost. This concept more or less applies to those who have been involved with a significant other for some amount of time, from seeing each other for a few weeks to being together for months to even longer. This can also happen between close friends, but is especially prominent in the dating world. This awful practice appears to be happening more and more often, but as anyone who knows the basics of psychology can tell you, just because you run away from your problems does not mean they go away. Obviously having that special someone suddenly beginning to ignore your messages and calls can be devastating. You were so into them, and you thought they were into you, but then they do this? What's up with that twisted little bit of guiltlessness? As someone who has been ghosted before can verify, you feel like a wrecking ball has blasted your self-confidence and self-esteem, especially if the person who ghosted you was your official significant other. Breaking up with someone is hard enough, but this adds even more insult to injury. Quite literally in fact, this practice is insulting to the receiver. It's as if you weren't even worth being properly let go. It fits in nicely with other forms of social rejection, which lights up the same areas of the brain as experiencing physical pain would. Why do people think it's okay to ghost? Why would someone who claims to care for you suddenly send you head first into Singletown without explanation, or even grace you with a five-minute notice? Many think it's a result of fearing conflict when having to confront other people. Ghosting is a convenient way to completely avoid this. Why go through breaking up with someone when you can just bypass that? Researchers have found that using this method of avoidance to break up with someone is one of the worst ways you could end a relationship. The person being ghosted feels most of the blow, but it can also affect the person who did the ghosting. Many of us don't take that kind of crap from people, and in a fit of rage confront the person. This can be especially distressing or humiliating for the ghoster if the ghosty knows where they exercise, live, work, etc. Not to say that they don't deserve this, but it does cause problems and emotional stress for both parties nonetheless. Many feel that the person who did the ghosting probably doesn't care about them anymore since it was so easy for them to disappear abruptly. Numerous professionals disagree, saying that the guilt from taking such a spineless way out of a relationship can have negative long-lasting effects on the person who did it. This behavior also further strengthens the distress or anxiety that confrontation may cause. As mentioned before, running away from someone doesn't necessarily cause it to stop chasing you. Breaking up with someone properly through open communication, no matter how hard it may seem, is the best thing to do, even though it may feel like you're ruining someone's life. It's best to confront your problems head on and try to resolve and overcome them. Have you ever been ghosted or ghosted someone? How did it make you feel? Do you think the ghoster did so because they are weak or because they are heartless? Share your comments below. Thank you for watching, and don't forget to subscribe.