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Online dating is a part of modern romance, whether you like it or not. Finding your match requires you to scroll through endless profiles in the hope that one catches your eye. Unfortunately, the feeling of excitement that should come with dating is replaced by exhaustion and repetitiveness.
No dating method is perfect, but online dating should feel more hopeful. It shouldn't kill your confidence or waste your energy. If it's doing either of these, then it's a sign that something deeper is happening, and it might be time to find a real-world matchmaker instead.
Let's look at three indicators that reveal it may be time to delete your accounts and reconnect with what you really want from your romantic life.
You're Stuck in Situationships
A situationship is a relationship that's a bit more than casual, but can't reach a certain commitment level. It can be fun, but it often lacks substance and is all the rage in online dating. If you're stuck in this pattern, it signals a mismatch between what you're looking for and your online dating experience.
Many dating apps encourage browsing with low accountability and minimal emotional investment. This makes it easy to float from one undefined relationship to another. If you're finding that every person is emotionally unavailable or only looking for surface connections, you will become more confused than inspired.
It's key to define what it is you're looking for in online dating, and if it's not a situationship, then it's time to quit.
You're Emotionally Burnt Out
Experiencing some fatigue is normal when you're immersed in the dating world. Emotional burnout, however, is entirely different. If you feel heavy or numb when opening the app or scrolling through profiles makes you feel irritated, then your brain is telling you that you're too emotionally depleted to continue.
In no way does burnout mean that you're failing at dating. It simply means that you're not getting enough of a return for the energy you're spending. When this happens, you should take a long break from online dating to restore your emotional bandwidth.
Creating some space between you and dating apps will let you reconnect with your real-life interests and friends, and help you rebuild your true identity, not the curated one you're using on Tinder.
Your Standards Are Lowering
Lonely swiping is a common trap of online dating, and it's very real. This is when your standards shift based on your emotional state and level of loneliness. If you are matching with people who you know aren't right for you, or agreeing to meet up with someone that doesn't feel right, it's a clear sign that you're pulling away from your goals and values.
Disappointment is tied to lowered standards. You will waste your time investing in people you wouldn't normally pursue, and you can get stuck in an unpleasant cycle. Removing yourself from the online dating environment will help you re-establish your boundaries and be clearer-minded about who you're searching for.
There's nothing inherently wrong with online dating, but it must align with your romantic goals and emotional needs. If situationships keep happening, you're feeling burnt out, or your standards aren't what they normally are, then you should quit as an act of self-preservation. It doesn't mean you can't get back on the horse once you have some clarity and more confidence.
