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Essay

This version is not peer-reviewed.

The Effect of Ghosting on Mental Health and Well-Being

Submitted:

25 July 2026

Posted:

28 July 2026

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Abstract
The world of dating is fraught with danger, with catfishing, gaslighting, and breadcrumbing, among the hazards encountered by those looking for romance. Of particular interest in this paper is the process of ghosting, where a partner, without warning or explanation, ceases all contact and essentially disappears from the scene. Ghosting is often perpetrated by those without a conscience with the goal of avoiding all contact. The psychological effect on the victim can be devastating and severely detrimental to their mental health and well-being in general. This paper explores some of the reasons for ghosting, and its effects, as well as outlining several high-profile case studies. There are also suggestions on how a victim or offender of ghosting should cope with their situation.
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Copyright: This open access article is published under a Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license, which permit the free download, distribution, and reuse, provided that the author and preprint are cited in any reuse.
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