My friend group suddenly ghosted me without explanation, and I blamed myself. I’m still learning to trust people again.

The author, not pictured, was upset when her friends ghosted her.

The phrase is most commonly used when quitting a job, but people have started using it to explain leaving friendships without any explanation.

Understanding this concept felt like a personal win, knowing my feelings were justifiable. I also felt like I wasn’t alone when I realized this was happening to other people.

I’m still healing and learning to build trust

While it’s been several years, this experience left me with permanent but invisible scars. I’m still healing and learning to trust people again.

I’m triggered whenever a friend takes time to reply or someone’s tone changes. When Snapchat memories pop up, I still wonder where it went wrong.

I still daydream about my friends taking a different approach. I imagine them confronting me and being more transparent about taking a break from the friendship. I imagine myself crying, but I also see a sense of closure and a cue to move on.

The unanswered questions kept me from fully healing. But I must accept that some friendship breakups don’t have closure.

I’m trying to turn this into a positive learning experience. I learned that I don’t want to be like them. If I have a problem in the future, I’ll be transparent and discuss it with my friends — not just ghost them.

It’s up to me to stop the cycle because I have been on the other end. I know how it feels to be left alone to be fed to the wolves of my mind.