Whether you want to get revenge on your ex by making them feel bad or make them want you back, the silent treatment is always a winner.
No one likes receiving the silent treatment, it can be an incredibly powerful way to make an ex do what you want.
As an example, here are 10 ways how your ex feels when you ignore him and how you can use this to your advantage!
How Your Ex Feels When You Ignore Him – 10 Effects of the Silent Treatment!
1. He’ll Feel Like You’re Mad at Him
If you give your ex the silent treatment, the first thing most guys think is that you’re mad at him.
This will cause him to feel defensive and go on the back foot, and he will likely want to contact you to find out if you are angry at him.
You can either leave him to stew on these emotions or talk to him about it and let him know if you are or are not angry at him.
2. He’ll Be Jealous Wondering What You’re up To
One of the most common reasons why someone gives their ex the silent treatment is to make them jealous.
If they can’t see what you’re up to, it’s going to make their mind wander and the curiosity grows that you’re having a lot of fun without them or you’ve moved on.
This is one of the most effective ways to make an ex reach out to you and try and get you back.
Related – Is your ex trying to interfere in your new relationship? Here’s what to do!
3. He’ll Be Confused as To Why You’re Ignoring Him
If you’ve never given someone the silent treatment before, you’ll know they can get very confused as to why you’re doing it.
He’ll probably be trying to work out what he did wrong and how he can fix it, which is exactly what most people giving the silent treatment want to happen.
The more confusion and anxiety you can create in your ex’s mind, the more they’ll want to get a reaction out of you.
4. He’ll Feel Guilty About the Things He’s Done to Upset You
If you give your ex the silent treatment after he’s done something to upset you, he’ll (should) start to feel guilty.
He may not even know what he did wrong, but the guilt will be eating away at him nonetheless.
This is a great way to get revenge on your ex and make them pay for their actions if you feel like they’ve wronged you.
5. He’ll Feel Like You’re Too Busy for Him
If you make yourself unavailable, he’s also going to feel like you’re too busy for him.
This is a great way to make him miss you and want to spend more time with you.
It will also make him feel like he’s not important to you, which is a horrible feeling if that’s something you want to put on him.
There are few worse feelings than being left ‘on read‘ or left hanging if he’s sending you messages and you ignore him.
6. He’ll Think You’ve Moved on With Someone Else
This is one of the most effective ways to make an ex jealous.
If they think you’ve moved on and are happy without them, they’ll start to blame themselves for all the things they did wrong and feel like they messed up.
This is a powerful way to get your ex back or at the very least make them try and contact you – whether or not you reply is up to you.
7. He’ll Feel Rejected
and Alone
If you give your ex the silent treatment, they’ll feel rejected and alone.
This is a great way to make them miss you and want to spend more time with you.
It will also make them feel like they’re not important to you, which is a horrible feeling if that’s something you want to put on him.
8. He’ll Feel Like You’ve Realized You Deserve Better than Him
If you make yourself unavailable, he’s also going to feel like you’ve realized you deserve better than him.
This is a great way to make him miss you and pile on more blame and guilt for what he did wrong in the relationship.
He will almost certainly want to find out who you’re seeing, if anyone, and will make him feel less self-worth.
9. It’ll Make Him Reflect on What He Could or Should Have Done Better
If you give your ex the silent treatment, he’ll start to feel bad and might reflect on what he could or should have done better.
This is a great way to make him realize his mistakes, and it may even push him to work on himself so that he can be a better person going forward.
Who knows, he may end up making some big changes and really surprise you in a good way.
10. He’ll Feel that You’re Stronger Now and Don’t Need Him
Probably the most common feeling an ex will have when they’re being ignored, ghosted, or avoided, is that you’re stronger now and don’t need them.
This can make them feel quite hurt like they were holding you back when you were together or that you’re better now without them.
It really depends on the person exactly how they’ll feel, but it usually conjures up all kinds of negative feelings.
It’ll make your ex feel less significant, and give them the feeling that you’re doing much better – and I hope you are!
Related – Here is why your ex wants to be friends so badly and why people often hear from their exes.
What Happens When You Ignore an Ex?
A lot of people ignore an ex or someone else when they want to avoid having contact with them, but it usually has the opposite of the desired effect.
The more you ignore your ex, the more they’ll want to talk to you and try to get a reaction out of you.
It’s human nature to want what we can’t have, and that includes people.
However, if you’re trying to get over someone or move on from a relationship, the best thing to do is to not have any contact with them whatsoever.
This means no texting, no calling, no social media, and no talking in person.
It’s hard, and you’ll need to resist replying to them if they contact you. But it is the best way to move on, especially if they bring negativity into your life.
Will Your Ex Want You More if You Ignore Him?
If you want to get your ex back, or at the very least make them want to get you back, then the silent treatment is a good way of doing this.
It sounds counterintuitive, doesn’t it – if you’re not talking to them, how can you get them back?
If you read through the 10 points above, you’ll notice that most of the feelings your ex will experience when they’re being ignored revolve around wanting to know what you’re up to.
That’s why the silent treatment is so powerful. It makes an ex jealous, curious, and want to know what you’re up to.
Should You Reply if Your Ex Reaches out To You?
This is a tough question, and there’s no easy answer. If you’re trying to get over your ex, then it’s probably best not to reply.
It’s only going to give them false hope and drag out the process of moving on.
However, if you’re still interested in getting back together with your ex, then you can pick the time you choose to reply carefully and it may work.
You may also want some closure on what happened, I know a lot of people find that comforting and need to be in contact with their ex to achieve that.
It’s really up to you and what is going to make you happy.
Just remember, using the silent treatment is a powerful way to put control into your hands, but it can also backfire!
Image credits – Photo by Malte Helmhold on Unsplash
Phil lives in England, UK, and has around 20 years experience as a professional life, career and executive coach. He started this blog to help others find and define their own self development journey. Blogging about a wide range of topics to help facilitate a better future.