You thought you had it bad with ghosting. But there’s a more insidious dating behavior making the rounds, and it combines the emotional damage of two toxic trends into one particularly nasty package.
Welcome to ghostlighting: the manipulative practice where someone ghosts you, then resurfaces weeks or months later acting like nothing happened — or worse, making you feel crazy for suggesting they disappeared at all. It’s ghosting meets gaslighting, and relationship experts say it’s one of the most destabilizing dating behaviors you can experience.
The term has exploded across social media recently, with thousands sharing eerily similar stories of romantic interests who vanished without explanation, only to pop back up with breezy texts like “Hey stranger!” or “I’ve just been so busy.” When confronted about the radio silence, these ghostlighters deny, deflect, or turn it back on you.
Picture This Nightmare Scenario
The pattern is remarkably consistent. Things start well: you’re texting regularly, going on dates, maybe even meeting each other’s friends. Then communication shifts dramatically. Messages go unanswered, plans fall through, and eventually, silence.
For days, weeks, or even months, you hear nothing. Then one day, they’re back in your DMs as if no time has passed. They might say they’ve “been meaning to reach out” or mention that work got crazy. The casual reentry suggests you’re both on the same page about what happened, which is: nothing.
When you point out the obvious — that they completely disappeared — that’s when the gaslighting kicks in. They might act confused about your perception of time passing. They’ll minimize the gap with phrases like “It hasn’t been that long” or suggest you’re being overly sensitive. Some even flip the script entirely, asking why you didn’t reach out if you were so concerned.
Three Reasons People Pull This Move
There are generally three motivations behind this behavior, according to relationship experts. First, the person’s life circumstances changed in ways they’re unwilling to reveal — a health issue, financial problems, or perhaps they were seeing someone else. Rather than having an uncomfortable conversation, they disappear and hope you’ll forget about it.
Second, they’re genuinely insecure and don’t know what they want. When confronted with their behavior, they experience shame and anxiety, so they freeze and make excuses. They’re not necessarily trying to hurt you; they’re just emotionally immature and conflict-avoidant.
Third, and most concerning, they’re deliberately manipulative. These ghostlighters don’t care about your feelings, enjoy having power over others, and use these tactics regularly. They ghost you when something better comes along, then circle back when that doesn’t work out, expecting you to be available.
The Real Damage Goes Deeper Than You Think
The combination of ghosting and gaslighting creates a particularly toxic emotional cocktail. Ghosting alone leaves you confused and seeking closure. But when the ghoster returns and denies reality, it attacks your perception itself.
“That kind of self-doubt affects not only how you see others, but how you see yourself,” explains relationship therapist Rebecca Shumway. Many people start blaming themselves or feeling embarrassed for caring, which makes them more cautious in future relationships.
The manipulation preys on a common fear, especially among women, of being labeled “needy” for wanting basic consistency and communication. Clinical psychologist Sarah Gundle describes ghostlighting as an “orange flag” — more subtle than obvious red flags but ultimately just as problematic. The behavior serves a specific purpose: it allows the ghostlighter to avoid accountability while keeping you uncertain enough not to completely shut them out.
When someone suggests you’re asking too much for expecting regular contact, you start questioning your own reasonable expectations. You wonder if you’re being too sensitive, too demanding, too invested. This destabilizing effect is precisely the point. Ghostlighting keeps you off-balance and less likely to call out behavior you know instinctively is wrong.
What to Actually Do About It
If someone ghostlights you, relationship experts are unanimous in their advice: trust your gut. If you know the level and quality of communication has dramatically changed, stay firm in your own observations. Don’t let anyone convince you that weeks of silence is normal or that you’re overreacting to being dropped without explanation.
When a ghostlighter resurfaces, you’re under no obligation to let them back in. If you do consider giving them another chance, they need to take full accountability and provide a real explanation — not vague mentions of being busy. Watch for concrete changes in behavior, not just words.
Most ghostlighters won’t take accountability, which tells you everything you need to know. The only person who can truly give you closure is yourself. You can’t control their actions, but you can control how you respond.
Your Instincts Are Right
Ghostlighting reflects larger issues in modern dating culture where digital communication makes it easy to disappear and reappear with minimal effort or accountability. Dating apps and social media enable these patterns by reducing human connection to screens and notifications.
But understanding these manipulative patterns helps you identify them early and set stronger boundaries. You deserve someone who respects you enough to communicate clearly, even when conversations are uncomfortable. If someone can’t offer that baseline of decency, they’re telling you exactly who they are. Believe them.