They say silence speaks louder than words, but when that silence comes unexpectedly, it can cut deeper than any harsh truth. Ghosting, the act of disappearing from someone’s life without explanation, has become one of the most common ways people end relationships, friendships, or even casual connections. For some, it feels like an easy escape; for others, it’s a wound that never gets closure. But what really drives us to vanish without a word, and what happens when we’re the ones left in the dark? Do people just ghost a person without a reason?
Well, I'm sure you're interested in this topic and you want to know my answers to it, and yes, I'll be doing justice to that, so sit back and relax as you read what I have to say and learn from my experience.
I'm sure there was a time you stopped talking to someone; I did the same thing but did I do it to hurt a person? The answer is NO. I did it out of self-respect and for my mental health. Many times, the reason why people ghost friends or acquaintances is because they realize there is nothing profiting from the relationship they have with that person, or when they feel used, the best thing to do is leave without saying a word after you have tried to address the issue.
I once had a friend, a very close friend. She was so close I knew almost everything about her; people even thought we were dating. We went places together and I was always there when she needed help. As time went on, we grew and became more mature, and I started seeing some fault in the relationship we had.
Firstly, I was the one always paying her a visit, the only one who cared about her birthday, the one who went the extra mile to get her a present and the only time I didn't get her a present, she was angry at me and said some hurtful things. I was the one who was always ready to run errands for her and the one who would sacrifice my funds to help in times of trouble, the first to always text first.
After noticing all this, I knew our friendship was a one-sided friendship. It was then I did the unthinkable: I stopped doing all the things I was doing before, like visiting, texting first, and some other basic things. She didn't even know I stopped texting or visiting. It was like there was no difference between when I was and when I was not.
The hurtful part was she didn't even bother to ask why I stopped doing what I was and she moved on. I felt kind of betrayed but I was glad I ghosted her and since then we stopped talking.
Ghosting might sound cruel on the surface, but sometimes it’s the loudest way to say, “I matter too.” Not every goodbye needs words, especially when those words have been ignored countless times. Walking away silently can be an act of self-preservation, a final step toward peace when explanations no longer heal. Do I regret ghosting her? Not at all. Because in letting go, I finally realized that silence can also be a form of love—the love I chose to give myself.
Thanks for reading, My name is Fashtioluwa. Image used is mine.
