I have an opinion....based on my own personal experiences. I had no idea that my growing up wasn't normal....then I got married to someone I was sure wouldn't be like my dad because I thought my dad's issues were a lack of education problem. Turned out my NOW Ex was just like my dad. I stayed in my marriage way too long (33 years). I put myself into my career & then major depression hit.....anyway I finally got out & moved 2100 miles away to where I didn't know anyone to start life over.
Things are wonderful now.....BUT I realized that I had a lot to learn & there was no way I was going to get into any romantic relationship until I got my own self figured out & fixed. I also wanted to figure out what I had been dealing with all my life between parents & husband. I had to figure out why I only connected at surface level & was it me or them. A few years after moving here, I found the most awesome psychologist & she helped me learn skills that had been missing all my life. My dogs (especially Leo) taught me what love feels like & what a heart connect feels like. From there, I felt like I could allow myself to feel it with friends. It was a total growing process for me. At this point in my life, I have no desire to waste my time wondering if I can find a right guy or not. If one pops into my life & the connection is there, great. If not, my life is more than full with activities & taking care of my farm, my horse, & my critters. I don't need someone popping in & out of my life & wasting my time & energy trying to figure out if what I am experiencing is some kind of relationship or not.
Those kinds of situations are NOT relationships. You are being used at THEIR convenience. Have enough self-respect to totally ignore them or block their numbers. You wondered if you are better off without them ....the answer is YES. Why do you want to waste your time on dysfunctional relationships? It only makes you dysfunctional too. If the right guy does come along, you will know it & it won't be playing the stupid texting/not texting games. Those are not "relationship" issues. Those are dysfunctional people who live in their own world & only bother with you when they want to. That is NOT a relationship. I wouldn't even bother to tell them to get lost, I would just NEVER respond to them again & I would block their number. Who needs or wants that kind on drama in ones life?