Ghosting Is On The Rise In Wyoming Dating Scenes

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, finding love may be on the top of your mind, but you've had a run of bad luck finding someone. Maybe you met the person you thought you'd go to the next step with, but then all of a sudden, they're gone. You've been ghosted again.

According to Men's Health, ghosting is rejection without closure. No, we're not talking about your house being haunted or creepy things happening. We're talking about when people bounce without ever saying goodbye or giving you a reason why it didn't work out.

Wyoming is among the states where ghosting is common. According to a study by the matchmakers at the dating site Sister Wives, 1 in 185 Wyomingites turned to Google to learn why they were being ghosted. Over 3,200 people searched for answers to questions like "why did he ghost me again," "why do I ghost people?"

The site's CEO, Christopher Alesich, says.

Residents in smaller states are more worried about ghosting due to the limited dating pool. The risk of running into the person who ghosted you is higher in these smaller towns. This adds another level of anxiety to the situationship, and it becomes harder to ignore.

With dating apps becoming a major part of how people look for love, ghosting has increased significantly. Up to 30% of those dating and looking for love have been ghosted.

If you're on a date and aren't feeling a connection, the hardest part of the night is figuring out how to tell the other person you don't want to see them again. So, you can escape that awkwardness by simply disappearing. No one wants to experience that, especially in a state like Wyoming, where the number of connections is limited by its low population.

If you're seeing someone and feel like it's not going anywhere, there are ways to handle the situation without ghosting. According to one-on-one coach, Michelle Wolf, instead of just disappearing, try one of these:

• I've loved getting to know you but I don't feel a connection. Thank you for your time.
• I have a lot going on in my life, and I'm not able to prioritize our friendship/relationship.
• This isn't working for me anymore. I hope you can understand.
• I feel that my boundaries aren't respected in this relationship, and I don't want to continue seeing you.
• I don't want any further contact with you because (state your reason). Please respect my decision.

If you get ghosted, Psychology Today recommends a few tips.

Recognize that you don’t need to know the reason why ghosting happened to be able to move on.

• Shift the focus to their behavior rather than yours.
• Take the time to process and have an outlet.
• Remove ties from your relationship when ready.
• Reflect on what this situation is activating for you.
• Obtain trusted support.
• Practice self-compassion.

Good luck, and happy hunting.