Call out the behavior.
If you feel like your guy is ignoring you, try speaking up about it. Colby Marie Z., a sex and relationship coach, suggests saying something like, “You've seemed really distant the past couple of weeks—you haven't been calling as often and only answer texts with one or two words.
In this case, yes, you should text him back if he ignored you for days. You can send a simple text just to ask for closure. This way you won't torture yourself. It'll be easier for you to either move on or search for other ways to mend your relationship.
The most effective way to ignore a guy over text is to simply not respond to his texts at all. But sometimes you may not be able to fully ignore him. You can still send the message that you're not really interested in talking to him by sending short, delayed responses.
If a guy truly starts to ignore you, it's usually either because he is upset with you and needs you to give him space, he is losing interest, he feels like the relationship is moving too fast, he is playing games with you or trying to lead you on.
Speak Up and Do your best to Change the negative pattern.
Wait until he begins speaking to you again, and then address the issue. A Lot of times the Silent Treatment has been ingrained in a person's personality.
Give it a few days (or even a week).
Waiting 2–3 days or up to a week before reaching out gives him a chance to text you first once he realizes what he's missing. If you've waited more than a week and still haven't heard back from him, it might be time to move on.
It means he may like you, but he is certainly not interested in you or looking for a long-term relationship. Maybe there is a compatibility issue, and he does not want to give you the wrong signals. He wouldn't have left you hanging if he were interested in taking it further.
He may be motivated by revenge; he feels that you've ignored him, so he's doing the same. If you're mid-argument, he might be ignoring you until the situation calms down, especially if he's uncomfortable with conflict or feels the war of words is getting you nowhere.
Don't ignore him
It is easy to wonder, should I text him back after he ignored me? Yes, he ignored you, which is hurtful enough. But don't return the favor if you still hope to build something out of the relationship. Playing mind games or ignoring his texts could backfire and ruin your chance of coming together.
"Ignoring an initial message isn't ghosting - that's passive rejection, and sadly I think that's a sign of modern life these days," says Charly Lester, founder of Lumen, a dating app for singles over 50.
The guy may not be texting you every chance he gets free, but he may text you at least once in the day if he likes you. Just remember he has a life, a job, or maybe school and can't always text as often as you may be able to with your life. Just because he doesn't respond right away doesn't mean he's lost interest.
Dr. Oca says, “If it feels good to you, you can acknowledge in a text that you were enjoying getting to know them and spending time with them and that you were surprised to not hear from them.” Curious, honest texts are best.
A narcissist's silent treatment can last for hours, days, weeks, or even months. Our survey among 500 people who have experienced narcissistic abuse revealed that on average, a narcissist's silent treatment lasts four-and-a-half days and usually ends when the narcissist needs more narcissistic supply.
Why do guys act interested then pull away? The biggest reason for men to pull away is the fear of their own emotions. The thought of a relationship is appealing to them but the effort scares them.
He may have detected that you're interested in more than just hooking up, and he's trying to back away slowly. His sudden lack of interest could signal he wants to end things, or that he wants to keep you at a distance. Either way, if he's not interested in more than sex, and you are, it's probably not a good match.