Breaking Up with Dating Apps: Embracing 4 Offline Ways to Find Love
Brianna McCabe, author of The Red Flags I’ve (Repeatedly) Ignored,” shares four ways to embrace face-to connections. (Photo credit: NurPhoto/Rex/Shutterstock)Annual downloads for dating apps in the United States have more than doubled from 2012 to 2023 but have declined in recent years, according to CNN.
Self-help dating author Brianna McCabe believes that people are ditching their dating apps as a result of the following three factors:
1. Misrepresentation.
“On dating apps, individuals sometimes create a facade or this ‘character’ of who they think that they should be to attract others,” comments McCabe, “when really, the only person that you need to be is yourself.” Users may exaggerate or misrepresent themselves in their profiles, leading to unrealistic expectations, disappointment, or false compatibility when meeting in person.
2. Information (and choice) overload.
On average, it takes approximately 115 right swipes for men to get a match, while it takes only 16 right swipes for women to get a match. “Let’s be honest: that’s a lot of swiping,” says McCabe. “After a while, it can feel superficial, repetitive, mentally exhausting, and time-consuming.”
3. Risks associated with catfishing – and other privacy concerns.
According to a 2022 survey of adult online dating users, nearly four out of every 10 respondents said they were concerned about whether people are the same person as they claim to be in their profile. “Being catfished is a serious red flag in that your relationship is built off of deception, manipulation, and lies,” comments McCabe. Catfishers often use stolen or fabricated photos to create fake identities, which can lead to consequences including emotional trauma, financial loss, or even physical danger.
So for the three in 10 Americans who are currently single, McCabe recommends these four ways to put yourself out there and build connections:
1. Meeting through mutual connections.
“There’s nothing like that word-of-mouth referral from someone that you deem trustworthy,” says McCabe. This method creates common ground, provides an initial screening for compatibility from your mutual source, and can help alleviate any uncertainty about meeting a stranger by having someone vouch for them.
2. Attending social events.
Whether it’s a party, networking event, concert, food festival, or some kind of other hobby-related gathering, these types of activities allow you to be in control and intentionally choose what you want to do with your time – which puts you in your element. By doing so, you can put yourself in a position to potentially meet someone who shares similar interests.
3. Involving yourself in hobbies and clubs.
Photography, dance, archery, ceramics, theater, sports – there are countless hobbies and activities out there that you can tap into if you haven’t already. “Dating starts with being true to yourself and what makes you, well, you,” shares McCabe. “By dialing into what you love to do and immersing yourself in those experiences on a routine basis, you can allow yourself to meet individuals who share similar passions and values.”
4. Trying something new.
If you’ve tapped into all of your social networks and circles, it’s time to expand a little. Try enrolling yourself in a new class or workshop, whether that be something like cooking, kickboxing, singing, or hiking, and forge a new connection based on this new interest and curiosity.
“It’s empowering to reclaim your romance and pursue real-life connections,” comments McCabe. “Face-to-face interactions offer a depth, authenticity, and symbiotic energy that can be lacking in online communication.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT dating, self-love, and RELATIONSHIP RED FLAGS, GRAB A COPY OF BRIANNA MCCABE’S SELF-HELP BOOK, THE RED FLAGS I'VE (REPEATEDLY) IGNORED.