79 per cent of Gen Z report dating app fatigue

These days, dating apps are the main way to meet your potential partner with potential soulmates being at the touch of a button.

But the current reality is, people are feeling burnout out from using dating apps as a new survey shows how 79 per cent of Gen Z feeling fatigued from them.

The Forbes Health survey polled respondents who have used dating apps within the last year to uncover how many are feeling this fatigue and the main reasons why.

All in all, 78 percent of respondents reported feeling fatigued by dating apps either always, often or sometimes.

When breaking this down by each generation, it's clear young people certainly feel this way since Gen Z (79 per cent) and Millennials (80 per cent) had the highest percentage of those reporting feelings of fatigue, compared to Gen X (77 per cent) and Baby Boomers (70 per cent).

Feelings of fatigue can be down to a number of reasons, with the most popular answer (40 per cent) being because respondents couldn't find a good connection with someone, the next reason was by being disappointed by people (35 per cent), followed by feeling rejected (27 per cent).

Other factors that have contributed to fatigue include dating trends with 41 per cent of respondents have experienced ghosting, 38% reported being catfished, and 27 per cent reported experiencing love bombing.

More concerningly, 18 per cent experienced some level of abuse, racism or sexism.

The amount of time spent on dating apps is also a factor, as survey respondents reported spending 51 minutes on datingapps daily - that's over the 30 minutes recommended by experts.

With all this considered, why are people still on dating apps? Although it causes prevalent burnout, datingapps may help self-esteem.

Results from the survey showed individuals felt confident (39 per cent), attractive (33 per cent) and wanted (24 per cent) as a result of using them.

Forbes Health Lead Editor Jessica DiGiacinto said about the study: “Whether you’re on a mission to find your soulmate, or just swiping for a casual date, in today’s modern world of technology, it’s not uncommon to find yourself within the world of dating apps.

"And with what can feel like an incomprehensible amount of competition and deception navigating the dating landscape, as well as a large pool of people to choose from, it’s clear from our survey results that people are starting to feel fatigued with online dating.

She continued: “While dating app fatigue is a very real experience, experts within the field express that these platforms can offer a positive experience with good outcomes for many people, such as building self-esteem. It’s about managing your time wisely and ensuring you notice if you start to feel any negative emotions.

"As our results show, people are typically spending nearly an hour a day on dating apps, but experts recommended that people limit their usage to nearly half of that time (30 minutes a day), with breaks in between.

“As with many things, it’s advised to use dating apps in moderation. If it feels like an app is taking you away from other fulfilling activities or you’re constantly thinking about using it, then it may be time to reexamine your dating app use.," DiGiacinto concluded.

You can read the full report on the survey findings here.

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