Press release- 7th June 2021
India is recovering from the second wave of the coronavirus. With the state-wise lockdowns and social distancing protocols still being followed as a practice, the isolation continues to affect the individuals in every possible aspect. It has been particularly devastating for people who are single and live far from their loved ones. They distanced themselves from friends and family, the work got heavier, and they started spending more time indoors in their own company. It has not been an easy year for those looking for love and wanted to explore the idea of meeting someone new, thus making them lonely. To better understand how people felt during this year, happn, a leading international dating app recently administered an in-app survey in India with a hope to gain an insight on how people are holding up emotionally. The aim of the survey was to understand the best way to support their users during these difficult times.
92% of respondents said they are lonely and felt the need for a companion during the pandemic
The number is not surprising. Being locked in their homes with minimal social interaction, it is not unusual to feel lonely. The new normal has stripped away the happy spaces of individuals, making them lonely and taking a toll on their mental health. According to the survey, 92% of respondents said they have felt lonely and needed a companion in the ongoing pandemic. Of the “1,743” respondents, Out of the total female respondents, 93% of them felt the need for companionship during their isolation.
Undoubtedly, loneliness aggravates the stress on one’s mental health and has been rising in the past few years, but the intensity of extreme loneliness faced during the pandemic is enormous. 64.2% of respondents were aware of their mental health status and agreed that social isolation affects their mental health.
The root of this stems from the need to talk to someone and express their feelings and thoughts. Thus, the lockdown last year saw a surge in virtual dating. Taking the online route, individuals talked and connected with each other. happn found that 86.6% of people have taken the online route and connected with individuals searching for a companion.
An anonymous responder said – “It is a feeling that someone is listening to me!”
Bereft of such ‘normal’ ways to meet prospective partners, the survey also wanted to identify if online dating has helped people find comfort in these crucial times. This led to the finding that 54.1% of respondents felt that online dating provided them comfort by helping them connect with like-minded souls.
Ms Marine Ravinet, Head of Trends, happn, said, “In the current times, while people continue to isolate themselves socially, it has become important to address the feeling of loneliness. Keeping our mental health in check is as important as taking care of our body. It is satisfying to know that we at happn are able to support individuals, who felt that online dating helped them in these tough times. Dating apps like happn have an important role to play today and we hope that individuals continue to find a companion or “Crush” as we say it through our technology.”