Swipe Right Or Left; The Connection Between Online Dating & Your Mental Health

We all know couples who have met and subsequently have found ‘the one’ through online dating apps, such as Tinder and Bumble. The fact is, online dating has become so common in today’s society as it saves daters a lot of time and effort when looking for that special someone when compared to the traditional face-to-face meetings. With a world of romantic and sexual possibilities dictated by a single swipe of the finger, are there negative side effects online dating can have on your mental health? Swipe right to find out how online dating can cause depression, anxiety, and lower one’s self-esteem if a dater is not mindful of their potential partner(s).

Why Should I Participate In Online Dating?

To put it quite simply, online dating in today’s rapidly changing and technology-based culture, sites such as eHarmony, match.com, OkCupid, and Plenty of Fish have become incredibly popular in the last few years - so much so that the stigma often associated with online dating has significantly diminished. Many of us depend on algorithms and location-based databases to match us with a suitable partner. According to Pew Research Center, an overwhelming amount of Americans believe these sites are a great way to meet new people, with fifteen percent of adults claiming they have used either a mobile app or online dating service at least once. The popularity of these sites is majorly being driven by time, as online dating presents itself as a practical solution for many time-crunched individuals, who want to meet and possibly strike up a relationship and do so fast. Statistics suggest about one in five relationships begin online, and it is estimated that by 2040, seventy percent of long-term relationships will have its roots in online sites.

Keep reading to find out the first problem many online daters experience: the problem with lying and ghosting from a potential partner.