We often hear about online dating fatigue and the desire to quit swiping, but what’s missing from the conversation—especially when it comes to women and modern dating—is the reality of addiction to dating apps like Hinge and Tinder.
In a recent conversation with a friend, I was struck by how clearly her experience with online dating and apps mirrored addiction. The six key components of addiction: salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict, and relapse, were all present in her story, creating a cycle she couldn’t break. Over coffee, she opened up about the compulsion to check the apps, how impossible it felt to stop swiping, even though it was obvious to her—and everyone around her—that this behaviour was harmful. I came away thinking about the stigma attached to dating app addiction, and how many other women must be feeling a similar way.
