'I've been ghosted, what are the things I can do to cope?' Here are some expert advice

Let's be honest. In this age of online dating, falling victim to ghosting is probably unavoidable. It does not mean it should be normalized, but what can we do to deal with its emotional repercussions?

In an online interview with GMA News Online, clinical psychologist Dr. Margie Holmes said ghosting can greatly affect one's self-esteem and mental health, even leading to depression.

"It's not about you but it hurts because there's no closure," she said. "Another thing that's taken away from you is a sense of agency because only [they] made the decision. You had nothing to do with it."

Bumble APAC Communications Director Lucille McCart said many users have reported about how bad they felt after being left unanswered in the app.

As such, more than anything else, it is essential to work on one's self-worth and take care of yourself. Apart from talking to your friends or family about it, one should also take time to develop an "it's not your fault" mindset.

Holmes shared what she calls "DERTSS," an acronym for the things one can do improve oneself and reduce the impact of a ghosting episode.

First on the list is diet (D) as "a lot of research shows that the gut microbiome has an effect really on anxiety and depression."

"Even the thought that you're trying to do something about yourself takes it out of that blaming yourself or takes it out of being in your head," Holmes said.

Next is exercise (E), building relationships (R) with loved ones, avoiding toxins (T), reducing stress (S), and then getting enough sleep (S).

"There are a lot of things in what they call sleep hygiene," she said. "Sleeping (well) really helps."

Additionally, there are helpful stuff on the internet that would help one cope with what they have gone through. On Bumble, for instance, they have a safety and well-being center within the app.

"[It] shows you a range of resources. That can be anything from how to use our safety features, how to report someone, safety advice," said McCart.

"It's also about dealing with rejection, ghosting," she added. "It's focused on anything from how to stay safe to how to deal with the things that come up in dating like rejection and ghosting."

Though there are ways to cope when ghosting, it is not the way to go when ending relationships. There's always a kinder way to do it.

"I think honesty and authenticity's important on both sides," McCart said. "It's important to start practicing some more honest communication."

"Simple, kind communication that lets people know what you want without making it feel like they've done something wrong and hopefully, the more of us practice that, it models that for other people."

—MGP, GMA News