Despite its chilling connotation, “ghosting” does not involve metamorphosing into a supernatural entity to haunt others. It actually refers to something much worse. “Ghosting” is the act of easing off communication with another person, usually a romantic interest, until all contact is terminated without any explanation. Do not feel bad if this sounds all too familiar; ghosting is no anomaly. It is a tragic phenomenon that has affected mostly everyone, as it is a natural tendency of humans to avoid awkward and oftentimes stressful, confrontations. Most people have either been a participant or victim in this problematic deed and although not without good reason, ghosting can hurt or offend the person being ghosted. Ghosting can also emotionally harm the person ghosting, for it can form feelings of mental distress and anxiety upon accidentally making eye contact with the other person during passing periods or unintentionally shouldering them in crowded hallways. Ghosting is much more than a cheap tactic to get out of a relationship, and I am reaching through the spirit realm to tell you why.

According to Psychology Today, ghosting classifies as social rejection. This results in the decline of the amount of opioid secreted into the brain, which serves as emotional and physical pain killer for the body, since both categories of pain both originate in the same region of the brain. Therefore, the more times a person is ghosted, the lower their self-esteem will drop and the more painful the experience will be because without the usual amount of opioid in the body, there is little to protect the body from feeling significant emotional pain which can ultimately lead to depression in the long run. Huffington Post mentions that people who avoid these kinds of confrontations are more likely to evade anxiety-inducing situations in the maybe not so far future, which can hinder social skills and ruin relationships. But have no fear; there are ways to ease the pain of being ghosted.

For the haunted, here are tips on how to overcome the terrible feeling of being unwillingly dropped from a person’s life. The first tip speaks for itself: Get over it. The phantom has made it crystal clear that they are too apathetic to even whip up a meaningless lie to excuse their actions let alone express a formal explanation. Second, do not overthink it. There is nothing wrong with you; the ghost might just have selfish intentions and are seeking for a new person to spend their time with. Last, seek other company by making new friends and new memories. Life goes on. As for the haunters, do not be afraid of confrontation. Chances are, the person being ghosted would much rather hear a direct “I like you as a friend” rather than endlessly pondering about the sudden disappearance of a person that they have been routinely texting flirtations to. Furthermore, it would provide closure, improve and heal the relationship, and allow the ghosted to catch up on their beauty sleep instead of contemplating their worth at four in the morning. Ghosting takes more effort to do and deal with, and is overall a lose-lose situation.

In short, this is not “Paranormal Activity”. Quit reenacting horror cuts and opt for a more mature and polite way to end a relationship. Communication is the foundation for mostly everything that happens between two people, and a lack of it can lead to serious emotional misunderstanding or trauma. That right there is some high-quality scare content. However, there comes an opportunity for redemption. With the year coming to a close, there is no better time than to make amends and tend to that ever growing list of things that still need to be said. Ghosting benefits nobody, so do yourself a favor by putting away the Oujia board for once and confronting your worst nightmares. Spoiler: it will feel much better.