People Who Ignore Calls & Forget To Text Back Usually Have 9 Distinct Personality Traits
carballo | Shutterstock I’ve been guilty of seeing a text and forgetting to respond. I just get caught up in my own head, and it feels like the world is moving at a mile a minute around me. Ignoring calls… Well, that’s another story. I’m guilty of doing that intentionally because I’d much rather talk through text.
Not everyone who ignores calls or forgets to text back has bad intentions. In fact, they often share distinct personality traits that explain why their phone etiquette isn't always impeccable. A person who ignores calls and forgets to text back is usually dealing with more in their heads than we may realize. Whether it’s social anxiety or they are selective about how they spend their time, it changes the way they handle interactions with the people in their lives.
People who never answer calls or forget to reply to texts often share these personality traits:
1. They are selective
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In a busy, overconnected world, you either run yourself ragged or make an intentional choice to prioritize your interactions. That's what people who ignore calls and forget to text back certainly do.
Studies show that some people who identify as introverts live intentionally. They practice discernment with how they choose to spend their time. This doesn’t mean that they are purposely ignoring people in their life. If something is time-sensitive or they are locked in on a task, they can put those things ahead of checking their phones.
These people invest in productive and positive social situations. While they may value the person calling or texting them, if they’re focused on something else, that is what they are prioritizing. They may find social media and text conversations superficial and will choose other things over scrolling on their phones.
2. They are easily distracted
Our nervous systems are constantly reacting to what’s going on in the world. Studies have found that the more tasks we do, the less effective we are at completing other ones. This is especially true for high-energy tasks. This impacts our attention spans. If you’ve put a lot of effort into one thing, you may not have that same energy to give the next.
Being caught up in a task can be all-consuming. If you text or call someone while they're busy doing something else, they may see your message but not reply. Their mind is trying to process too many things at once.
3. They are perfectionists
If someone holds themselves to ridiculously high standards, they are likely a perfectionist. They set goals that may be unattainable. It drives them to accomplish everything they can, which can affect whether they text someone back.
If they have all-or-nothing thoughts, they may not think of their phone at all. They could be criticizing themselves and too worried about how they are letting themselves down. Maybe they want to make sure they finish something at work perfectly, or clean every spot of their house. When their minds are on a task, they may zone out on other things they see as less of a priority.
High achievers can focus specifically on results. They want everything to work out perfectly, and they will do whatever it takes to succeed, even if it might be unattainable. This can cause them to hyper-focus and avoid their phones entirely.
4. They are easily overwhelmed
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We are all juggling a long list of responsibilities. From our friends and family to our careers and activities, we are constantly being pulled in different directions. Managing our own feelings is a hard task. When we add in other people’s, it can feel overwhelming. Someone dealing with emotional burnout or who is easily overwhelmed may feel like it’s entirely too much to text a friend back. It’s not that they don’t care; they are running on empty.
We may not realize how much effort it takes to send a text. Thinking about the tone to use, what to say, and if they even feel up for talking can keep them from replying or answering the phone.
5. They have anxiety
Younger generations are struggling with talking on the phone. It’s an actual phobia, called telephobia, and it’s making them avoid calls entirely. What it stems from is anxiety about the unknown. They don’t know what will happen when they talk to whoever is on the other end.
A survey found that a quarter of people aged 18 to 34 never answer the phone. They prefer to respond by text because communicating on the phone brings social stress that behind a screen doesn’t. That doesn’t mean they’ll be perfect at texting back because social anxiety can still impact virtual communication.
It can be overwhelming for these people to deal with the thought of how someone will reply through text, and the way they interpret it can lead them to spiral about what they meant.
6. They can be lazy
We often don’t have patience for people who come across as lazy. It can be frustrating when we want to hear from someone, but they don’t want to put in the effort to reply. We’d be lying if any of us said we aren’t lazy at all. Let’s be real, sometimes we don’t want to put in the hard work, and texting or calling someone can take a lot out of us.
Honestly, I have been lazy when replying to my friends. It’s not that I don’t want to talk to them; I’m not always in the right headspace. If I’m feeling tired or overwhelmed, it can be exhausting to have a conversation. Instead, I’ll read a text, mean to respond later, and completely forget. I’m sorry to all my friends!
7. They are hard-working
Our phones are little distractions in our pockets. One break of scrolling can turn into a long detour that makes completing a task even more difficult. Our attention spans are deteriorating with time, and phones have played a major role in that. Some people, however, have been able to push past the pressure because of their strong work ethic.
A strong work ethic keeps us on topic. Focusing on what matters most can make someone put their phone on silent and forget to text someone back. They’re focused on the tangible results of their tasks rather than picking up their phone to chat.
8. They are private
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Texting can put a strain on our relationships. While it can be beneficial, allowing us to talk to people from anywhere at any time, it can decrease the quality of our conversations. This can make private individuals struggle. They may not want to be available to others 24/7. Texting has created short, constant interactions, rather than genuine, meaningful connections. This can be difficult for people who want to keep their circles small and supportive.
Private people are likely not posting on social media or texting someone back at all hours of the day. They may dodge phone calls or forget to reply to texts when they are keeping to themselves.
9. They don’t do well under pressure
Some texts and phone calls are urgent. The person on the other end needs to get in touch with you for whatever reason, and you feel pressured to reply. Psychology has shown that humans don’t always work well under those circumstances. We can overthink what we’re saying or feel nervous about failure.
Some people can feel the pressure even over the phone. When this happens, we can perform below what we know we are capable of. Instead of tackling that challenge, they may avoid calls or ignore texts to prevent that feeling entirely.
Haley Van Horn is a freelance writer with a master’s degree in Humanities, living in Los Angeles. Her focus includes entertainment and lifestyle stories.
