Has Dating Changed Forever? How a World Crisis Impacts Romance

Deeper Conversations

When you can’t meet a match in person after exchanging a few messages due to a world crisis, the next step is to video chat. Rather than holding your first in-person conversation in a crowded restaurant or noisy bar, you’ll be getting to know each other in a quieter environment. There’s no entertainment to distract you.

Naturally, there can be an upside to this. When social distancing means that all you can do is talk to the other person, you may get a good sense of their personality earlier. It could be that you quickly realize you have nothing in common, so that you can mark that option off sooner.

Meeting More People

Because this is a time of crisis when everyone is experiencing the same uncertainty and turbulent emotions, it’s normal that people want to find connection with others. And, as mentioned above, since you can’t meet in person, many are spending even more time on dating apps to look for matches.

Lots of people have more time on their hands since they’re not working and not able to go out. So there’s likely a lot of options for online conversations. And, people are going through so many emotions that they need to share with someone. This mindset can lead to more openness and vulnerability than you’d usually have early on.

However, there are also negatives to dating during a pandemic.

Lack of In-Person Time

Unfortunately, newly blossoming romances can wilt quickly under the pressures of the pandemic. No matter how great video conversations are, without actual time together, it can be hard to make a spark grow. A world crisis impacts romance in many ways — some good, some not so good.

Changing Priorities

A world crisis has a particular way of making people question and clarify their priorities. Even well-established romances can fall prey to the pressures of a pandemic.

The constant reminders of our human frailty brought on by coronavirus can easily cause one partner to end a relationship. They may decide they need to focus on their own pressing dreams right now. Maybe financial struggles contribute to a breakup. Perhaps they worry so much about catching a new virus that they decide dating isn’t worth it.

Crisis Bonding

Individuals and groups often bond during times of trial. It’s the universal struggle that everyone is going through that helps bring people together. Everyone genuinely needs to forge an emotional connection to bolster their strength during these times. But that doesn’t mean these bonds are permanent or will last beyond the immediate crisis, as many will attest.

So it’s easy to see how online relationships, or even new in-person ones, could fade as life slowly returns to normal. When the urgency and uncertainty of the pandemic even out, people will inevitably find themselves with a different perspective on any dating relationships.

—

Has your romantic life been affected by the current world crisis? Are you struggling with a relationship breakup? Breakups are never easy, but during such times of considerable, worldwide uncertainty, they can be even harder.

If you find yourself experiencing persistent sadness or grief surrounding a breakup, it’s essential to reach out for help.  Such signs can indicate depression, which also is more prevalent during times of social isolation.