Digital dating: new challenges and coping

By Danielle Sukenik, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus About a third of U.S. adults have looked for love online. Maria Korneeva/Moment via Getty Images Buzzwords describing the digital dating scene are all over social media. Have you been ghosted? Is someone orbiting you? Are you being breadcrumbed? While these dating patterns may not be new, the words to describe them continue to evolve. As a psychotherapist, I see firsthand the impact these experiences can have on mental health. Given the sheer number of people using dating apps – 53% of American 18-to-29-year-olds and 37% of 30-to-49-year-olds – it’s likely you have some first- or secondhand exposure to this world. If you’re curious about the latest psychological research on digital dating – and are looking for evidence-based strategies to cope – read on. Ghosting and orbiting Ghosting is a sudden disruption in a relationship without any explanation. The “ghoster” vanishes suddenly, often leaving the other person with questions. And orbiting? That’s when someone ghosts but continues to follow the other person on social media by watching stories or occasionally engaging in their content. These behaviors are pretty common, and you might wonder about their impact. A 2022 study compared the...