Dating has never been easier than it is today. There are numerous apps that promise to find great happiness the easy way. They suggest that the dream partner is already waiting around the corner, but rarely deliver what they promise. As a result, more and more people are fed up with dating on the Internet. They scroll listlessly through thousands of profiles in the apps because the search is no longer fun.
Where once there was anticipation of the next profile opening up, today in most cases the reaction is a shrug of the shoulders or a roll of the eyes. The profiles have become boring and interchangeable. The hoped-for tingling in the stomach hardly ever occurs during a meeting. Those involved are frustrated and on the verge of giving up the search for a partner completely. Nevertheless, there is still a spark of hope and the next day the search begins again. This phenomenon is called „Dating Rust Out“.
What is „Dating Rust Out“? Meaning, definition, explanation
As the number of uninteresting profiles has increased enormously, the search for a partner on the Internet has long been accompanied more by frustration than by anticipation. The descriptions in the profiles are meaningless, sparse or boring, the photos are often poorly lit cell phone shots taken from an awkward angle. It is immediately apparent that the person hiding behind the photo has put little or no effort into the description.
The searchers wipe the profiles to the side or scroll down in a seemingly endless row to still find the person with whom the spark finally jumps. Dating on Tinder & Co. has become an almost automatic process that no longer arouses deep emotions.
Smartphones & Co. pose health risks
„Dating Rust Out“ is the result of a consumerist, oversaturated society that can only really warm up to a few things. While smartphones have made our lives easier in many areas, they also harbor great potential for addiction, which is just as evident in the consumption of social media platforms as in dating behavior. The phenomenon of „dating rust out“ can even have similar consequences to burnout.
At worst, it leads us to completely give up hope of finding a partner who values us and suits us. Sooner or later, hopelessness develops from the acceptance of superficial interactions on the Internet. The people concerned are caught in the cycle of permanent search and disappointment. This in turn leads to avoidance of real communication and a restricted social life. This can bring further problems such as mental illness (depression, for example).
How do you regain the joy of dating?
It can be very helpful to completely close or delete the app for weeks or months and not engage in dating at all. In the meantime, it’s worth reviewing your own dating behavior to see if and where there’s room for improvement. Perhaps one has made little effort with his own profile?
It’s less unpleasant to be turned down via an app when the next profiles are only a click away. Facing this possibility in real life triggers significantly more anxiety. Even outside the online world, there are plenty of opportunities to meet other people. Overcoming one’s fear, going out alone and approaching strangers can provide completely new impulses. A new contact doesn’t have to turn into a relationship right away, but taking part in real life boosts self-confidence enormously. In addition, there is always the possibility of meeting love.