Are you wondering what happens in a man’s mind when his girlfriend ignores him?
Perhaps you’re considering doing this as a way of trying to change his behavior.
If so, I’d urge you to read this guide first. It explains 21 thoughts that might go through his head while you’re ignoring him.
Anyway, before we start this list, I have to tell you about this online tool that you might find incredibly useful.
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From there, it will begin to gather useful information, including who he’s texting, what apps he’s using, whether he’s using dating websites, and a lot more.
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Want to find out what he’s up to while you’re ignoring him? This is the perfect tool for that.
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You’ll either gain more trust in your man, or find out what a dirty dog he’s been all along. A win for you in the long term either way.
With that said, let’s take a look at what might be going through his head while you’re ignoring him.
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Have you just been ignored by a guy and wondered if you should reciprocate to hurt his feelings? This is a common dating strategy used to get a lover’s attention. However, regardless of how hard you try, with males, this method may succeed or fail spectacularly depending on the guy.
People's reactions to being ignored are influenced by a range of elements, including their own emotions, what interests them, and what turns them off. For example, ignoring a guy who isn't invested in or fond of you won't harm him in any way. This isn't to say he won't notice.
This isn't to say he won't notice. If you've been putting in a lot of effort to be around him in the past, he may notice your recent lack of effort but may choose not to act on it. So, ignoring a guy who hasn't been messaging you or answering your calls or texts will have little effect on him because he's already proved his lack of commitment.
If the guy is interested in you, he'll notice when you ignore him, and it can drive him insane. As a result, what a man thinks when you neglect him depends entirely on how much he’s interested in you, which I will talk about in this post.
It's no news that guys aren't as intuitive or sensitive as women, and as a result, they are more likely to provoke girls without intending to do so, let alone knowing when they have done so.
This is why when you ignore a man, his first line of thought is to wonder if you're upset with him because of something he did or didn't do or something he said.
Generally speaking, guys do not like complex situations. They prefer when ladies are direct and give clear instructions. So if a man has done something wrong and you choose to ignore him, thinking of what he's done will make him feel frustrated and worried, especially if he really likes you.
As humans, we tend to desire what we can't have. Uncertainty and scarcity play a crucial role in our minds and serve as powerful motivators. Therefore, if you ignore a guy's text messages and phone calls, there's the possibility that you will pique his interest.
He'll suddenly realize how glad he was to have you doing all those things you did in the past, like the 'good morning' texts, calling to make date plans, and canceling everything else to meet up with him. As soon as he realizes that you're gone, he'll start racing after you, and he'll do it with greater intensity than he has ever given you before.
The more he doubts your feelings for him and whether you're truly his, the stronger his desire becomes for you. This is probably what you wanted in the first place, and it's what you'll get if you ignore a man that likes you.
This is one of those situations where playing mind games by ignoring a guy you like can jeopardize your relationship with him, and that's because it affects his ego.
Men love to feel needed by women, especially those that they like. Psychology calls this the 'hero instinct' or 'savior mentality.' In simple terms, it's when a person derives joy from saving you or providing for you.
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Whether you're married or have just started seeing someone, infidelity rates are on the rise and have increased over 40% in the last 20 years, so you have all the right to be worried.
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I know you might find this strange because we are in the 21st century where women do not need a man to save them. Nonetheless, it's a primal instinct that can't change. So when you ignore a man, he is likely to feel unneeded, which will, in turn, hurt his ego and could make him withdraw from you to seek other women who will give him a sense of heroism.
He may be afraid of the worst if he's used to seeing or hearing from you regularly and suddenly you withdraw your attention. He might begin to assume that you are cheating on him or that there might be someone else who is showering you with attention and distracting you away from him.
Most guys’ brains are focused on one thing at a time. They cannot comprehend the possibility that they are to blame for the situation. So in his mind, you are the one who's at fault in this situation.
As mentioned earlier, guys aren't big on playing games. They don't like to bother themselves with what a girl is feeling or contemplating.
If you stop communicating with him, he may assume that you're tired of the relationship and have decided to ghost him with the hope that he gets the message and withdraws from you. Perhaps this may be something he would do if he were in a similar situation.
Surely you don't want him to think that you don't care about him or that the relationship didn't work out, so be careful not to entirely ignore him. So assuming your goal is to make him see the error of his ways by simply ignoring him, you should be prepared for the possibility that your strategy might backfire.
So if you choose to ignore guys you like, proceed with caution!
When you ignore a guy, he might think you're playing mind games simply to gain his attention. He's probably experienced this before and can tell that you're trying to elicit an emotional response from him by not responding to his text messages and calls.
In this situation, one of two things could happen. First, he might ignore you right back and join you to play mind games, or he'll take ownership for his lack of attention, see this as a wake-up call, and perhaps, try to bring up the issue to see ways he can do better. However, note that the second reaction will only happen if he isn't petty and is a confident communicator.
Is your man typically the one to make the first move or the one who makes the arrangements to meet up? Is he the one that texts or calls all of the time? If that's the case, he might believe you're a pain in the neck.
Men do not like stress, and more specifically, emotional stress. This is why they don't see the need to play games, let alone consider them fun. So if you believe you have a strong reason for ignoring your man, do it with caution because he could eventually get tired of your games.
He'll only continue to woo and seek your attention if he has a strong affection for you. If he doesn't, he'll lose interest quickly and assume that you are high maintenance or too much trouble.
When a guy isn't sure of where you are or what you're doing, he may begin to speculate about various things, including your whereabouts.
He might start to wonder why you aren't picking up the phone and calling him, where you are, who you're talking to, and of course, what could be so important that you no longer have his time.
When he finally realizes that you've been out in the nightclub with your friends, attended a food festival, or went hiking without him, he'll become concerned that he's missing out. Worse, he'll be disappointed that you're having such a fantastic time without him and maybe you don't enjoy his company anymore.
Men take pleasure in pursuing women who prove difficult to date. For the most part, they are not interested in ladies who are easy to impress or always available, except if they only want you for a good time.
Readily available women do not pique the curiosity of male partners. These guys want to 'earn' their way to your heart. This urge has something to do with evolution. You see, most men want to pass on the best genes to their children and grandchildren, which causes them to believe that playing hard to get means you have something exceptional, something that's worth pursuing to gain.
So if this is the reaction you want from your man, don't be too fast to respond to his texts or return his phone calls. Also, avoid making yourself too readily available.
If you're dating a man and then decide to ignore him, as soon as he discovers what's going on, he will begin to reflect on all of the things he could have done better. Perhaps he should have shown you more appreciation, taken you out more frequently, or told you how he truly feels about you sooner in the relationship.
Now that you've turned your back on him, every thought he has about you will be about what he could have done differently and how he could have prevented you from abandoning him altogether. He might come running back to you, apologizing profusely for everything he should have done, and he might even start treating you better as a result.
As already mentioned, guys do not see the fun or need to engage in mental gymnastics. They are simple individuals with basic needs. This is not to insult them or say that they are shallow. On the contrary, it's a positive trait that translates to mean that they're easy to understand.
That is to say, if you believe that by ignoring them, they would receive some vague message or realization about their behavior, you are mistaken. A typical guy will simply conclude that the relationship between you and him did not work out, and he'll move on.
Can I let you in on a secret? Guys aren't as intuitive and thoughtful as us ladies. So unless we tell them otherwise, they tend to assume everything is fine. As a result, if you're ignoring a guy, he will most likely believe that there is a reasonable explanation for your lack of communication and it’s not because something is wrong.
Some people may jump to conclusions and foresee the worst-case situation right away. In other words, if you stop texting, you must have been in an accident, you must be with another man, or you must have broken up with your partner. A guy simply thinks, 'Oh, she's preoccupied right now.' She'll get back to me as soon as she has the opportunity.'
All hail the 'hero" instinct!
This train of thought is pretty similar to when he assumes you're busy. He understands that in real life, we are not always able to respond to a phone call or text message as soon as we receive them. Things tend to happen, and we must deal with them as they arise.
As a result, when a man can't reach you or hasn't heard from you in a while, he doesn't instantly consider it to be a big deal. The guy feels you have a pressing situation that requires their attention. However, if the silence goes on for a bit longer, he might start to panic and wonder if you're in danger or need his help.
We can all agree that choosing to ignore a text or a phone call is an impolite act, and making repeated attempts to talk to someone who isn't responding can be frustrating. Therefore, when you ignore a guy, it could lead him to believe that you are not a particularly pleasant person, especially if you do it without an explanation.
Therefore, if you have a specific reason for ignoring him, make sure you provide a compelling justification for your actions. Don't allow this pattern of behavior to continue for too long. If this guy determines that you are rude a person, he will dislike you and eventually dump you.
As much as guys aren't complex beings, they do not shy away from challenges. This is why they are drawn to mysterious women- women who are complex and difficult to read. As a result, some men, particularly those who enjoy a difficult challenge, may believe that you ignore them because you are enigmatic. Therefore, they must take on the effort of figuring you out.
These types of men will be even more drawn to you since you aren't simply giving in to their demands, and they enjoy being in a scenario where they have to chase after you or fight for your affection. They love the thrill and find it rewarding.
Several guys may believe that you're merely a self-sufficient woman who is taking some time for yourself when you start neglecting them, which may be true. Typically, this response will come from an extremely laid-back man who is self-assured and respectful of your personal space.
As a result, this sort of man will not make a big deal about you neglecting him, and he will simply believe that you will return once you have had some time to yourself. Even though this may not be the reply you were looking for, it is still nice when someone replies in this manner since it demonstrates that they value your time.
Like being independent, a guy who tends to withdraw when stressed might easily interpret his inability to reach you as your need for space.
Let's face it. Some people are ambiverts meaning that they sometimes like the company of people, but other times, they prefer to be alone. These kinds of people have a balance of extrovert and introvert personalities.
So, if your boyfriend or partner is an ambivert, he wouldn’t think something is wrong. Instead, he will assume that it’s because you need space to recharge your social batteries. He understands the feeling and, as such, wouldn't want to interrupt yours. He might also stop trying to reach you, trusting that you will return when you're ready to resume talking.
If you've been together or happily married for a long time, he may have become accustomed to you being there for him and taking care of his needs to the point where he takes you for granted. So now that you've ceased all forms of communication with him, he'll notice it and miss you.
For instance, you're no longer there to kiss him in the morning with his cup of coffee, he has nothing to wear because the laundry hasn't been done since you left, he doesn't have a clue on what to have for dinner, and he is now solely responsible for walking the dog.
Your absence suddenly makes him realize that he is alone and might remain this way if he doesn't sit up and get his acts right. Also, it makes him see how replaceable he is to you. This could trigger his hero instinct, causing him to want and desire you more.
It goes without saying that when a person encounters someone they're interested in, they look forward to spending every waking hour, minute, and second with them because being together makes them feel alive. The connections they have with each other provide them with enormous joy.
So, the fact that you no longer find your man engaging and enjoyable to be around and that you no longer spend time with him indicates that you are no longer interested in them. As a result, if your guy notices you starting to pull away, it makes sense for him to assume that you're losing interest and that you want to end the relationship.
As you may already know, guys are drawn to action. They are motivated by the desire to solve issues and complete tasks. This is why they find the act of ignoring them to be equivalent to leaving an unanswered inquiry hanging.
In reality, the Zeigarnik Effect provides a logical explanation for this. It suggests that we recall tasks that have been left unfinished or interrupted more quickly than jobs that have been completed. As a result, the idea that you may have failed to respond to a phone call or text message will be on the guy’s mind continually.
It may come across as brutally honest, and it is certainly not what you want to hear, but there are occasions when ignoring a guy will result in no response at all.
If he doesn't respond, it's most likely because he has no romantic interest in you and does not believe that you are the right person for him. He's unlikely to notice when you ignore him, and he won't be bothered to care about it.
Although no one wants this to happen, it is a positive thing if it does since it means you would have ended a relationship that was always ever going to be one-sided from the beginning.
If you used to talk to a man daily and had made him the center of your attention, he may begin to suspect that there's someone else in the picture. He has to understand that you're attracted to other men and that you have a choice. Avoiding contact with him may lead to jealousy, and a little jealousy can be a good thing.
One of the best ways to capture a guy's attention is by ignoring him, as he will always want to get your attention back. Although ignoring may not place you at the top of his list and make you desirable, it does make you look mysterious, thereby placing you in the forefront of his mind.
There are several reasons why guys ignore women. On the one hand, he could be ignoring you to speed up or slow down the relationship, but on the other hand, he could be doing it to test your loyalty and establish a more dominant role.
The best way to decipher his intention is to pay attention to other accompanying behaviors during this time.
Ignoring a guy is one of the savviest ways to capture his attention, especially if done right. Act like you're busy or don't respond to your messages on time, and you wouldn't have to wait long before the guy starts to chase you fiercely.
If you want to make a man regret ignoring you, let him know what you're up to by posting your achievements on social media. Do the things you enjoy doing to keep yourself occupied. Enjoy your single life in every imaginable manner, even if it means trying out new things. This is one of those times when also ignoring the guy works.
What a guy thinks when a lady ignores him all depends on how much he’s interested in her. It will be painful if he’s interested and she abruptly neglects him. Guys notice a girl is ignoring them only when they like her or if she was their go-to person for moral support.
I hope you enjoyed reading this list and found it insightful. If yes, please share your experience in the comment section below. Also, don't forget to share this post with your loved ones.
Utilize this tool to verify if he's truly who he claims to be
Whether you're married or just started dating someone, infidelity rates have risen by over 40% in the past 20 years, so your concerns are justified.
Do you want to find out if he's texting other women behind your back? Or if he has an active Tinder or dating profile? Or even worse, if he has a criminal record or is cheating on you?
This tool can help by uncovering hidden social media and dating profiles, photos, criminal records, and much more, potentially putting your doubts to rest.
