People Are Ghosting Long-Term Partners. Some Don’t Regret It
The communication-free form of breaking up has become ubiquitous. “I no longer had to bear her energy,” a man who ghosted his partner of four years tells WIRED.
Nicole and Dean, a 37-year-old independent contractor, had a long-term relationship for four years, discussing marriage and even living together. However, in 2022, Dean claims Nicole's "mind was polluted" by "gender wars" discourse, causing him to become resentful of her constantly complaining about men. Dean eventually blocked Nicole on phone and social media, feeling relief as he no longer had to "bear her energy."
Despite the backlash from his decision, Dean asserts he made the right choice. Ghosting, the act of ending a relationship by ignoring or blocking the other person, has become increasingly common in long-term relationships, with 84% of millennials and Gen Z reporting they've been ghosted. This trend is fueled by the ease and social acceptability of digital communication, but experts warn that it can cause emotional harm and detachment.
Written by urgent.news from Wired's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
