With the advent of technology and the internet, a whole lot has changed. People now meet, flirt, and fall in love using their phones and online dating applications. They have also transformed the English language, providing us with some new trendy words. I bet you have never heard of the terms “zombied” or “haunted” before—as relationship terms, I mean. Strange right?
Yea, same here; I had the exact same reaction when I first came across the terms. However, that wasn’t for too long.
And trust me, it won’t be for you either, as long as you follow through with this article.
Overview
These new terminologies are intriguing from the standpoint of relationship science because, as fresh as they appear, they are essentially referring to age-old dating habits.
People have always ghosted, breadcrumbed, and zombied, just not as easily as they do now. This ease, as well as the prevalence of texting and online dating in people’s relationships, may explain why it is now necessary to use concise phrases to describe these behaviors.
Ghosting
In reality, this means no texts, instant conversations, or emails; your attempts to interact are futile.
But, despite the fact that most individuals believe it is an unacceptable method to end a relationship, virtual ghosting is extremely widespread.
LeFebvre, a philosopher, discovered that more than 40% of emerging adults had both instigated and been the victims of ghosting.
The act of ghosting is not new; people have always vanished from the lives of others with no explanation.
However, leaving town, refusing phone calls, refusing to open your door, or otherwise avoiding all possible face-to-face interactions is logistically more difficult than abruptly ceasing all Internet communication.
Haunting
Perhaps this person is not speaking directly with you but is lurking in the background, liking your posts, or connecting with you in other ways.
Then they vanish, and then they return again. The cyclic “haunting” behavior is similar to on-again/off-again relationships, which are detrimental to both the partnership and the individual’s well-being.
Zombie-ing
In contrast to haunting, zombie-ing does not have to be cyclical or in segments; it could be a full “on-again” experience.
While the majority of people who practice ghosting do it as a long-term—albeit indirect—relationship disengagement tactic, others use ghosting to just disappear and may return later.
Haunting and zombieing are not new concepts in the dating scene. People have disappeared from each other, returned, left, and stayed for decades; however, due to our reliance on technology for communication, people can do so more readily nowadays.
We can also give a general term to the practice.
What Should I Do If I’m Being ‘Zombied’?
There are several approaches you might take if a former flame wants to resurface in your life.
The first option is to simply disregard your zombie. It’s fine if you don’t want someone in your life who doesn’t respect you enough to tell you why they left.
However, you may decide that you do wish to interact with this person.
If you do respond to their phone or message, here are a few pointers to assist you in dealing with the situation.
1. Establish Your Limits
Remember that this person has already ghosted you.
Dont allow your self be zombied Talk it over with your ressurected friend; find out why they went missing in the first place and why they’ve returned now.
More importantly, define your relationship’s boundaries and what you anticipate from that person.
2. Take precautions
You might want to delve a little more into who your zombie is today, in addition to setting limits.
If you haven’t seen them in months or years, it’s a good idea to do some research to find out what they’ve been up to.
A public records search may disclose possible causes for their disappearance, such as a cross-country move, an arrest, or a court case.
The best-case scenario would be if this long-lost companion admitted to doing something irresponsible by ghosting.
It could be enough, along with an apology, to show they’re serious this time and want to make things work.
It didn’t take long, like I promised, right? So there it is—all you should know about the zombie practice.
What is zombie dating?
Even if you’ve never been ghosted — or been the ghoster — you’re definitely familiar with the concept: when someone you’re dating or “talking to” suddenly disappears.
When someone ghosts you but then reappears in your life as if nothing occurred, this is known as zombieing.
What is Breadcrumbing dating?
Someone who drops small morsels of interest — an occasional message, phone call, date arrangement, or social media contact
Conclusion
Being ghosted by someone you were supposed to get serious with and then having them pick up where you left off is incredibly unfair. I advise you to carefully consider this person’s future role in your life before making any decisions in order to avoid heartache down the road.
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What is the difference betwen getting zombied and being ghosted?
