Dating is difficult.
It just is. Whether you go the traditional route of meeting people face to face, or try your luck on dating apps, finding someone can be a trying process.
The traditional route hurts. You approach a person in a bar, just to have them check you out, deem you sub par, and move on. It is a major hit to your self esteem. So, you retreat to dating apps, where at least you'll be protected by the screen and keyboard.
There's a problem. Dating apps can be confusing. You swipe around and match with a few people. You reach out, only to get no response. Or, even worse, you exchange a few messages and talk for a bit, only to get ignored out of the blue.
Now, when you don't get a response at all, that can be coped with. You have another 5, 10, 15 people in your match queue that are waiting for you to reach out, so you can just move on to them.
It is much more difficult when you feel like everything is going great and the conversation is flowing, and then they just poof! They just disappear! That, my friend, is what they call ghosting.
What is ghosting?
Pretty much just that. It is when someone abandons the conversation or relationship without warning.
First off, if you think this is happening, don't be afraid to send a follow up message. Sometimes the person is just busy.
Other times, it is legitimate ghosting, and it happens because the person is just trying to avoid confrontation, avoid emotional intimacy, or because they are narcissistic.
Learn more about dating apps at Business Insider and The Washington Post
Learn more about ghosting at Psychology Today