If you've ever been ghosted, you know the thoughts that cross your mind. What happened? Did they die? Or, worse yet: did I do something wrong? There are many reasons, other than sudden death, that someone might choose to vanish instead of giving an explanation.

(And if you've ever ghosted someone, you also know how bad it can be but you also might know the reasons why you did it.)

1. Because they thought they didn't need to give an explanation.

In an age of casual hookup culture, a lot of people believe that you only have to formally break up with someone if you're in an "official" relationship.

2. They lost interest.

We've all had a change of heart. Somewhere along the date, or afterward, they lost interest. Instead of explaining it to you, they ghost.

3. They didn't want to hurt your feelings.

This may seem like a cop-out excuse, but many people feel that if they just stop talking it will do less harm to the other person. It's kind of a twisted logic to use, but it's one used by many ghosters.

4. They're immature.

They don't know how to handle their feelings (or lack thereof).

5. To avoid confrontation.

If people get real about why they ghost others, this is probably the real reason why. Confrontation can be hard. Being upfront and ending things with another person, face-to-face, is never comfortable (but almost always necessary).

6. They have no respect for you.

Often, ghosting comes out of a lack of respect for the other person.

7. They're scared of commitment.

Maybe they've had some bad relationship experiences in the past, and they're afraid to commit now.

8. They have other problems going on in their life.

This seems like an excuse your friends use when you're talking about someone who ghosted you, but it's true. It's not always your fault or something you did—sometimes they've got a lot of other stuff going on. However, this doesn't give them an excuse for ghosting you.