We guess there is no point in telling you that people have made several times fewer social contacts in the last two years than they did before? You can no doubt see that perfectly well in your own life. It’s no longer easy or natural to strike up a conversation with a stranger on the street or exchange a few words with the person in front of you in line for coffee. People fear for their health, try to minimize the amount of interaction with strangers and are very reluctant to make contact.
Against the background of the pandemic and quarantine in many countries, the number of marriages has halved, while the number of divorces has increased. This may lead to a serious demographic crisis in the near future.
What psychologists say
In 2020, the Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences held a large online symposium on the topic “Personality and society in a pandemic conditions: psychological mechanisms and consequences”.
Doctor of Psychology Timofey Nestik makes discomfiting conclusions in his report on the socio-psychological analysis of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on society. Let’s look at some of them.
- Every pandemic in human history has been accompanied by outbreaks of xenophobia, intergroup tensions and hostile sentiments. The SARS, MERS and Ebola epidemics all show the same picture — social tension, mistrust and even anger. Remember how at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic everyone was very wary of people from China. And then it reached the point of absurdity — people began to avoid doctors working with coronavirus patients, and after that, each other. Social tension grows, mistrust of authority increases, people become angrier towards others.
- The current situation with vaccination, QR codes and restrictions for unvaccinated users increases social inequality and hostility towards the opposite social group. By and large, the world is now divided into two camps: the vaccinated (or planning to vaccinate) and opponents of vaccination. It is enough to read the comments under relevant posts on social networks to understand that the situation is really difficult.
- Increased anxiety — the first step on the way to stress and panic. Unfortunately, a sense of anxiety during the pandemic has become the norm for many people. And the loss of jobs, a deterioration in financial situation and the inability to live the same life leads to stress, depression and anxiety.
Research results have also been shared by representatives of the British National Health Service (NHS). And the news is just as disappointing. After the first wave of quarantines, mental disorders were observed in one in six children in the UK. For comparison, in 2017, such disorders were found in one in nine children.
50% of high school students confirmed that they are very unhappy with their current life due to restrictions. Quarantine is very difficult for young people aged 18-25, who were previously one of the most socially active groups, and now found themselves isolated.
Worst of all, isolation and lack of communication negatively impact physical health as well. In an interview with the BBC, Professor Stephen Reischer of the University of St Andrews in Scotland said, “The physical effects of isolation are equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.”
All this really looks depressing. But if you look at the situation objectively, is it all that bad? Or is the problem not as serious as it could be?
How do new trends in online dating relieve social tension, and what can ordinary users expect?
The online dating industry tells us that things aren’t all that bad. This is an area where we’ve seen overactive audience growth from the very beginning of the pandemic. And in many ways, it’s online dating that can offer the very salvation from loneliness that modern people need so much.
We’ve collected some of the most interesting data and trends for 2022 that online dating platforms have shared.
- At the end of November 2021, Bumble published research results that surveyed 8,500 people on the topic of online dating. 48% of those surveyed said that it was during the pandemic that they seriously began to think about what type of person suited them best. 53% said it was perfectly normal for them to be lonely for a while. And 61% noted that they now give priority to emotional availability, and the ability to establish a strong emotional connection with a person.
- Interesting observations were shared by representatives of the dating service Plenty of Fish. They focused on the phenomenon of Hesidating. In short, this is someone’s uncertainty that they want to start a relationship at all and lack of confidence in the effectiveness of online dating. And nevertheless, they register on the site, study user profiles, make swipes, and so on. On the one hand, indecision is bad. But on the other, even someone who is not yet sure of their goals can find their future soulmate on the web.
- A change in the goals of users of dating sites and applications has become a global trend. If people previously registered on Tinder, Badoo or Bumble rather to find their love, now these sites are increasingly used to find new friends. This is actually a very positive development. If you can expand your social circle and find interesting people to make friends with in a dating app, why not take advantage of that?
- An unexpected trend for many in 2020-2021 was how Omegle video chat and its alternatives skyrocketed. Millions of people who didn’t want to use classic dating platforms choose video chat. It is more convenient, faster and often even more efficient. Interestingly, it was not only Omegle that showed rapid growth. Many Omegle alternatives have proven to be even more popular. Among them are OmeTV, Omegle Alternative, Chatrandom and others. Some video chat sites offer more interesting features and chat tools than Omegle. We recommend you try it on omeglealternative.com.
- Internet users are better off making contact with those who have already been vaccinated against Covid-19. This phenomenon even acquired a name — Moderna Love. According to a survey by Plenty of Fish, 30% of users say that they are ready to start communicating only with those people who are vaccinated. This trend has been encouraged by the popular dating sites. For example, Tinder provides a special badge on the profile of vaccinated users and even offers some premium features for free.
Keith McLean, dating expert at Plenty of Fish, says a new era has arrived in the dating industry. Until recently, uncertainty and even fear of communicating with other people reigned because of the pandemic, but now things have changed. We’re seeing other very positive changes: online communication has become more frank, honest and sincere. And users are more serious about online dating, choosing a potential partner and communicating with them.
And finally, one more very positive tendency for 2021-2022. Thousands of people report that the pandemic, unexpectedly, has benefited their personal lives. By limiting contact with toxic friends and family, they were finally able to make their own decisions, communicate with people they like and not pay attention to the opinions of others. This, in our opinion, is a very big plus. After all, the pressure of loved ones can often put an end to even the most promising and happy relationships.
2022 might be your perfect dating year
It is not easy to remain optimistic when, for years in a row, the coronavirus pandemic has destroyed the social life of the whole world and prevented people from living the way they used to. But let’s try to find positive changes, because they really exist.
The world is changing, we’re gradually adapting to our new reality, the Internet has opened up completely new opportunities for communication, and various social restrictions, albeit slowly, are weakening.
We believe that the situation will improve in the future. So don’t despair, just meet new people, communicate and find like minds. 2022 promises to be much more interesting and eventful than 2021 and 2020, you’ll see!
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