In May 2023, the surgeon general warned about the loneliness epidemic in the United States. Of course, people can be lonely in any family situation. However, people on the modern dating scene may be particularly vulnerable to loneliness, frustration, and anxiety.
Modern dating presents many unique opportunities and challenges. For some people, the ability to connect with others through apps and websites has been life-changing. Unfortunately, digital forms of dating can be frustrating and nerve-wracking too.
Whether you are struggling with rejection, ghosting, or meeting people in person after connecting with them online, know that it is not a bad thing to feel anxious or sad. However, turning to alcohol to ease your dating anxiety is counterproductive and will only harm you in the long run. Don't let a bad season of dating lead you to alcoholism.
Online dating has been around for a while. Dating websites have been active since the 1990s, and with rapid technological advances, dating apps were inevitable. Over the last decade, dating apps have only become increasingly popular.
It is easy to see why. Today, there are many dating websites and apps right at our fingertips. In the stress of everyday life, going out of our way to meet new people is not always possible. Online dating allows the average person to find that special someone amidst the craziness of everything else they have to do.
Besides, with so many people looking for partners on dating apps, it can feel like fewer people are open to being approached in real life.
Modern dating through websites and apps allows for convenience. With a dating app, you can use filters to help you find someone with similar interests, values, and readiness for a relationship. You can find people who are your type and who are in your location.
It is easy to speak negatively of convenience. However, in a world with increasingly less free time, the efficiency of dating apps is increasingly necessary.
Additionally, it can be hard to find places to meet people organically, especially for young people. Many young people do not attend religious organizations, some attend school online, and others work remotely. These trends together mean in-person connections are less likely to occur.
It is no wonder that online dating is common, especially among young adults. According to the Pew Research Center, 53% of individuals 30 years old and younger report dating online. This age demographic may be comfortable with the technology side of using a dating app. However, even millennials and members of generation z may have trouble with the emotional side of modern dating.
An old soul is someone who feels older than they are. These individuals may be especially uncomfortable with online dating. They typically prefer the more romanticized story, in which connections are organic and in person.
For an old soul, modern dating can feel like a game. Many people use dating apps today for ulterior motives. This can make it hard to determine someone's true intentions and be honest and vulnerable.
Online dating can increase social anxiety, whether or not you are an old soul. Unfortunately, to become more comfortable and less socially anxious, people may turn to alcohol.
Modern dating presents almost endless opportunities for anxiety. People who struggle with their body image may be anxious about uploading their pictures to a dating app. Rejections, ghosting, and nasty messages may decrease people's self-esteem.
Meeting someone in person after texting can be extremely nerve-wracking. People may worry whether they will like the other person in real life, whether the person will like them, and whether they will even be physically safe. Finally, modern dating is not immune from the traditional heartache of breaking up.
All these aspects of modern dating can increase anxiety. This is not dangerous in itself. However, it is important to know healthy ways of coping with anxiety. Otherwise, we may find ourselves misusing alcohol.
People drink alcohol for many reasons: to become more confident or extroverted, to manage stress, and improve their overall mood. Some may also drink to cope with their social anxieties about modern dating. The problem with using alcohol to cope with these issues is that it puts you at an increased risk of developing alcohol use disorder (AUD).
AUD occurs when someone is unable to stop or control their alcohol use. People with AUD need treatment at facilities like NorthStar Transitions to safely detox from alcohol and recover from addiction. Unfortunately, alcohol use is prevalent among young people.
NorthStar Transitions has several programs that can treat alcohol addiction. That includes our young adult program. Our young adult intensive outpatient program (IOP) includes:
If the stresses of modern dating have contributed to your AUD, consider your treatment options with NorthStar today.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIDAA), millions of young adults struggle with their alcohol consumption. Many factors may contribute to these increased numbers. One potentially overlooked source of stress in this demographic is modern dating. Online dating through apps or websites has many benefits but also many drawbacks. It can aggravate social anxiety by making people self-conscious about their appearance, disheartened by rejections, nervous about meeting in person, and heartbroken after a breakup. These factors and others require healthy coping mechanisms for anxiety. Unfortunately, many young people lack these skills and turn to alcohol instead. This can lead to addiction. For help, call NorthStar Transitions at (303) 558-6400.
