Why Is He Ignoring My Texts All of a Sudden? Here’s The Real Reason… post image

Why Is He Ignoring My Texts All of a Sudden? Here’s The Real Reason…

by Sabrina Alexis

“He ignores my texts!” Here’s what you need to know (and what to do) when his texting suddenly becomes radio silence…

There is nothing like those early days of a new relationship. Everything is so new and exciting and you just can’t get enough … especially when it comes to texting!

You text and text and text all day. Every ding of your phone generates a rush throughout your body. You talk about nothing and everything and there is nothing you would rather be doing than continuing to type away with a ridiculous grin plastered on your face.

But sometimes, the communication just stops. A few hours go by with no word … and you try to stay calm, thinking maybe he’s just busy. But then hours turn to days and now the butterflies in your stomach have been replaced by iron knots. You send him something innocent and friendly and … crickets.

And you desperately wonder: Why is he ignoring my texts all of a sudden?

MORE: Why He’s Acting Distant All of a Sudden (And What to Do About It)

You can’t help but replay every interaction, looking for what you may have done wrong. Everything seemed to be going so well, what happened? Did he lose interest? Was he playing you this whole time? Did he die? What happened?!

You may see signs of life, maybe he updates his social media accounts or your friend comes across him on a dating app, and when that happens you have to accept the ugly truth: this isn’t an accident, he has purposefully decided he no longer wants to see you. Buy why?

Here are the most likely reasons why he’s ignoring your texts and what to do about it:

Take The Quiz: Is He Losing Interest?

Click here to take our quick (and shockingly accurate) “Is He Losing Interest” Quiz right now and find out if he’s really losing interest in you...

Does he spend time with you as often as he used to? (Question 1 of 15)
  1. Yes, but he never seems to want to be there.
  2. I don't know. I'm so confused. I just want the spark back.
  3. No, he never spends time with me. It's like I don't exist. He spends more time doing random things. Internet, friends, work, etc.
  4. Yes, he used to do things I liked, but now he could care less.
  5. Yes, he spends the same amount of time with me as he always has.

Continue

1. It’s just easier to ghost

I’m not saying it’s right. I’m not saying it’s fair. But it just is. This is what people do in this day and age, so much so that it’s just become an accepted practice.

Call it cowardly, and maybe it is, but he just doesn’t want to hurt you to your face. He would rather hurt you while turning a blind eye, essentially! Actually, he would really rather not hurt you at all. And in his mind, he’s convinced himself that he isn’t hurting you … that you understand where he’s coming from, that you also realized that this wasn’t a match.

He may convince himself that having a talk to end a relationship that may not have even been a relationship yet is just presumptuous. He may even think you would find it insulting!

He would rather believe that you are on the same page as him and you are going on with your life and not even thinking about him.

MORE: Why Guys Disappear and How to Deal

2. He just wasn’t into you

Just because you were super into him doesn’t mean he felt the same way about you. Sometimes we want something to be true so badly that we see a reality that just isn’t real. You convince yourself that innocuous gestures are grand signs of love and infatuation.

You get so excited by all the similarities, by how strong the chemistry is, by the fact that you have never ever met a guy so perfectly suited for you and this is what you focus on … not whether he’s on the same page or same wavelength.

MORE: The Biggest Signs He’s Not Into You

It’s also possible that you just weren’t what he expected. Maybe you guys were chatting through a dating app or website and when he met you in person, you were totally different.  I know it sounds harsh, but this happens all the time to both genders! Sometimes people get a little over-zealous by presenting themselves in the best light online and end up presenting themselves as something they totally are not! Maybe you have your hilarious friend write your profile so you seem funny and charming, maybe you go a little too far with the photoshopping and filtering, whatever the case, your virtual self and real self are not one in the same.

It doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you … you just weren’t what he was expecting.

MORE: Why he’s Acting Distant 

3. You’re being too clingy

A concept you’ll hear us talking about a lot on here is that men move toward what feels good. That’s really all it takes to get a man to commit. When it feels good to be around you, he wants to be around you!

I’m not saying you’re never allowed a bad mood or a bad day, that’s totally unrealistic. But overall, the vibe is good.

This is what attracts men. What repels men is clinginess and neediness. When he senses that you need him to respond to you in a certain way in order to feel good, then he just won’t want to do it. This is especially true of texting.

Maybe you expect him to text constantly and get angry when he doesn’t. Maybe you’ve come to expect a response right away and now texting with you don’t feel good anymore, it feels like work. He doesn’t want to feel like he needs his phone on hand at all times lest he miss a text from you and experience your wrath as a result.

In the beginning, men typically text a lot because he’s trying to win you over. Once things get a little more settled, he doesn’t need to go so full force, and doing so just isn’t sustainable, people have jobs and lives. If you take this decrease in texts as a sign that he’s losing interest, then you cause a problem when there wasn’t one and you will act in a way that is off-putting and unappealing.

It’s also possible that you’re just a bit much for him. Maybe every time he responds to you he gets sucked into a whirlpool of drama so he holds off and seems to ignore you at times. Like I said, when it feels good to talk to you and be around you, he happily responds. When it doesn’t, he dodges you.

MORE: 10 Telltale Signs He’s Losing Interest In You

4. He’s dating someone else

The fact is, you can’t have expectations when you’re in the casually dating phase. Until he explicitly locks it down, he is not your boyfriend and you shouldn’t hold him up to that standard. It doesn’t matter how badly you’d like him to be your boyfriend, you have to take a situation for exactly what it is.

If he’s suddenly ignoring your texts, it’s possible that he may have started dating someone else, or maybe he was already dating someone else and now it’s getting more serious. If you met him through a dating app, it’s possible he was talking/texting many other girls at the same time … and maybe he found one that was simply a better match. I know it hurts, but I promise it’s not personal. It’s just how it goes.

5. Too much texting … not enough in person

Most men really don’t like texting. Men are more physical than women. They need physical touch and closeness and an emotional connection isn’t always enough. Maybe your relationship was long distance or maybe you both have insane schedules and don’t get to put in much face time. Whatever the case, it may just not be worth it to him anymore and maybe he wants something easier and more convenient.

Now that we’ve looked at potential reasons he’s ignoring your texts the next question you probably have is …

What should you do when he’s ignoring your texts?

1. Back off

It feels counterintuitive. You want to bring him back so you can’t help but go after him, but chasing never works. Just give him some space. You don’t need to text him to remind him you exist. A guy who really likes you won’t need a reminder!

It’s possible there is no problem. Maybe he’s really slammed, maybe he’s settling into a more normal routine. Don’t make the mistake of preemptively panicking because you’ll just feel ridiculous when you realize that there was no problem and you put yourself through the emotional ringer for no reason.

There’s also a chance he’s having doubts about you and the relationship. You shoving yourself in his face won’t quell those doubts, they will only push him further away. You not being in his face and just giving him space might be enough to reignite his interest.

MORE: How to Give a Guy Space the Right Way

2. Date around

If you and he aren’t official, then don’t be exclusive to him! Don’t wait around to see if he chooses you. Go out and date other guys. Try to mentally move on from the relationship. I’m not saying he won’t resurface, but the more time that goes on the more unlikely that becomes.

Just take your mind off of it by seeing what else is out there. As they say, there are plenty of fish in the sea.

MORE: 5 Steps to Stop a Man From Withdrawing 

3. Focus on yourself and your happiness

Don’t obsess over what went wrong and what you did wrong and what you should have done differently and what’s wrong with you and why doesn’t anything ever work out the way you want it to?

Stop focusing on him and the relationship. Focus on yourself. Focus on being happy. Focus on your personal development and growth.

MORE: Why Do Men Pull Away?

This brings me to my next point …

4. Don’t be jaded

You can internalize what happened and beat yourself up over it and get down on yourself and convince yourself that you’re unworthy of ever getting what you want … or you can grow from it. You can’t control the way people treat you or the things that happen to you. All you can control is how you react to it.

If you allow yourself to be jaded and bitter, you are really only hurting yourself. I know how terrible it feels to be ignored and discarded. But the chances are he didn’t have evil intentions. Just like I’m sure you don’t handle everything perfectly, this is a situation that he didn’t handle perfectly. He is also a flawed human being just like yourself and while you may not think he deserves it, try to see it from his side if you can.

MORE: 7 Reasons He’s Ignoring You 

5. Reach out with no expectations

As more time passes you may have a hard time fully letting go and coming to terms with it. Maybe you suspect there was some sort of miscommunication that resulted in him backing away. If you feel you absolutely must reach out, then it’s OK to go ahead and do so … just keep your expectations as low as possible.

Maybe there was some sort of miscommunication and he thought you were no longer interested. This is possible as a lot can get lost in translation over text. Maybe you’ll both laugh it off and be able to go forward. Or maybe he’ll give you a quick and cold response, confirming that he is no longer interested. Or maybe he’ll give you a reason, maybe he’ll tell you he’s dating someone else or that he just didn’t think you guys meshed well. Or maybe he’ll ignore you and while that’s annoying, no response is also a response.

MORE: What to Do When You Think a Guy Is Ignoring You

There you have it, the truth about why men ignore your texts and what to do about it. The fact is, there will come a point in a relationship when a man will pull away and may start to lose interest. But it is possible to get it back and make the relationship stronger than ever. If you want to know the secret, read this next: If He’s Pulling Away, Do This...

Also, do you know what makes a man decide a woman is “the one”? Do you know what makes him want to commit and see you as girlfriend-material, rather than a passing fling? If not, be sure to read this too: The #1 Things Men Desire in a Woman

Take The Quiz: Is He Losing Interest?

Click here to take our quick (and shockingly accurate) “Is He Losing Interest” Quiz right now and find out if he’s really losing interest in you...

Does he spend time with you as often as he used to? (Question 1 of 15)
  1. Yes, but he never seems to want to be there.
  2. I don't know. I'm so confused. I just want the spark back.
  3. No, he never spends time with me. It's like I don't exist. He spends more time doing random things. Internet, friends, work, etc.
  4. Yes, he used to do things I liked, but now he could care less.
  5. Yes, he spends the same amount of time with me as he always has.

Continue

Written by Sabrina Alexis

I’m Sabrina Alexis, the co-founder, and co-editor of A New Mode. I love writing relatable, insightful articles that help people understand relationship dynamics and how to get the love they want. I have a degree in psychology and have spent the last 10 years interviewing countless men and reading and studying as much as I can to better understand human psychology and how men operate. If you want to get in touch with me, hit me up on Facebook or Instagram.

Other Must-See Related Posts:

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  2. Why He’s Acting Distant All Of A Sudden (and What To Do About It)

  3. He Ignores Me: Why Is He Ignoring Me All of a Sudden?

  4. 7 Major Mistakes Women Make that Push Men Away

  5. 12 Biggest Signs He’s Never Going to Settle Down With You

  6. How to Tell If a Guy Likes You At Work: 17 Subtle Signs He’s Into You

  7. 10 Telltale Signs He’s Ready to Settle Down

5 comments… add one

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Star

Hello,

I find your articles very insightful and helpful, thank you! I am currently single but I’m somewhat talking to a guy who I met on Bumble. We hung out a few times(the second time I was in his hometown hanging out with friends but invited him to join us). We don’t text that much unless it is to make plans or small talk about basketball.

I’m use to texting but sometimes he doesn’t respond back to my messages. He went out of town for a few days. Before he left I texted him and wished him a safe trip. He responded to me and asked how my week was going, and I responded but after that he stopped replying. I didn’t expect him to respond since he was on a trip. Last week when he returned, I didn’t reach out, because i sent a message to him last and kinda thought he would respond. He didn’t. However, I waited a week until I reached out again. He asked me “how’s things going?” I responded and asked him how the trip was but right after that, that’s when he never responded again. I thought it would be a good idea to just call him and find out he wasn’t in fact interested anymore. I frankly prefer if someone tells the other person openly if they are not interested instead of ghosting someone. I guess I just want to hear him say it rather than me just allow the ghosting to happen… it really sucks either way. Any advice would be very appreciated, thank you!

Reply March 1, 2021, 10:46 am

Julie

I’ve read many of your articles in the past to help me understand men better. I’m having an affair (we are both married). We have been friends for 5+ years. We’ve been sleeping together for 3. During this time, we’ve had to take time away from each other for various reasons (too busy, getting too close). We rarely fight and are usually open communicators. Recently, he’s pulled away again. We weren’t able to see each other much because of the holidays. A little bit of texting and expression that we missed spending time together. We were able to get together after the holidays (physically & chatting). But afterwards, I texted him and got short answers. Then a couple days later he said he was dealing with crap (financials, home repairs, etc). I offered support if he wanted to chat or just wanted a distraction. He said he knows i’m there but not much I can do. Then I didn’t hear from him for a week. I didn’t text him during that time because i wanted to give him space. When he did text me again a week later, this was the text “I haven’t forgotten about you… please let me continue to sort out some demons. If you have any questions don’t hesitate… Thanks again for all your patience and understanding”.
That was Jan 16. I did not respond nor texted him since that time as I was trying to respect his space. Now that it’s been another week and I haven’t heard from him, I wonder is it me? Am I the demon? Is he ghosting me?
Basically, I need some advice. Do I reach out to him to see how he’s doing? Do I continue to wait this out? Do I just ask him where we stand?

Reply January 24, 2019, 10:35 am

Niki

Hello- I wanted to say that your articles are so well written and helpful. I left a 9 year relationship earlier this year and and am struggling recently as I don’t know anything outside of my ex-boyfriend. Your articles have given me new perspectives and more understanding.
I joined a dating app and went on a date with this man at the beginning of August. After the first date, he reached out for 2 more within the week. He messaged me often throughout the month as we met a couple more times. His job took him away for all of September. Aside from the first week and a half, we remained in contact almost daily. The messages were both casual and intimate.
When he returned at the beginning of October, we saw each other once or twice on the weekends. However, each week, the messages dwindled considerably. He is not an affectionate person to begin with and his aloofness always throws me off…everysingle time. We never talk on the phone. Only through chat. Now we go days without messaging and it is killing me because no communication at all during the week is not ok for me. I had planned to bring it up this past Sunday. However he canceled on me, explaining that he was hung over from an outing with his friend the night before. I messaged him to ask if he felt better on Monday and I get a short response.
Each week, messages are less and less. I feel like he’s losing interest and I dont know why. I’m trying to give him space and not chase. I feel like I’m the one reaching out during the week but I dont get the same response. It seems like he doesn’t want to talk. Its stressful and my mind runs through possibilities of why.
If you can help me with an honest assessment, it will help me and maybe I will stop obsessing about it. Thank you so much.

Reply October 31, 2018, 2:23 pm

Jennifer

Hi Niki,

I am in a relationship (since July) and for the first 3 months we were messaging from waking to going to sleep. Then he got busy and far less responsive, we talked it through and I realised that it is just not sustainable to message all day every day, I am more talkative and need more communication than he does – we agreed to find our correct balance. He makes a lot of effort to see me, even changing scheduled work meetings so that he can spend time with me. I feel we have a strong connection and we are adjusting to eachother. If I just leave the story there, then it sounds great, right?

Well, rationally the above is all true, what I described is our situation currently, and all you can really do is live in the moment. However, I am a cancer, I think with my emotions. My insecurity is telling me he has lost interest and my fear is telling me I will end up in a one-sided relationship, doing all the communicating. My fear is trying to make me cling on to him to stop him pulling away, and that I must try desperately not to let that show.

I started trying to message him less, this was upsetting me because it goes against my communicative being! I told him this and he said I did not need to stop messaging, but don’t be upset if I don’t get quick/detailed responses.

So then came the next part…. and this is really important for me because I believe he is a good guy, a keeper… I must now think very carefully about why it is that I need constant communication! Constant communication every day does not allow people to get to know each other better. TIME allows people to get to know eachother better. Trust and closeness is built over time.

So why do I need constant communication? I think it is because I still need to work on my own sense of worth. I should not need constant reassurance from him that he hasn’t forgotten me. I should not need a constant distraction to be able to enjoy my day.

I also should not feel that I have to wait for him to do all of the initiating! If I want to talk to him or message him, I should feel free to do so. All that advice online about “wait for him to contact you” and “don’t message him first” and all that is total rubbish in my opinion. If something is not working for us in a relationship then we should feel free to discuss it honestly with the other person. Anything else it just game playing. Purposefully not messaging is game playing. Giving the other space if they are pulling away is a good thing but not if it is done with the intent to bring them back, as this is also game playing. What should be happening is that both of us go about our own lives and be ourselves – and allow the other person to make us into better versions of ourselves – and experience things exactly as they are in the moment. With honesty, things will either align themselves.. or not. We must accept this!

Nothing in life remains the same forever, it is forever changing and we cannot control any of it, we definitely cannot control other people. All we can control is the way we react to it… if we do not like the situation then we can either remove ourselves from it or change our perspective on it.

I hope this helps you :)

Jennifer

Reply November 1, 2018, 10:27 am

Niki

Jennifer- thank you so much for your response. Everything you say is very true. I will certainly take your advice. It’s just a terrible feeling and his silence for days is not ok. If I see him again I will certainly discuss it with him.

Reply November 1, 2018, 3:25 pm

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