Getting to know new people through dating apps is very common nowadays. Tinder and Meetic are two of the most popular apps in Spain, and they can make you vulnerable to a FOMO. What is the meaning of FOMO and why should you avoid it?
FOMO is a feeling that more people experience now. It’s a kind of anxiety that psychologist study and social networks and dating apps can worsen. A FOMO person in Tinder or any dating app can be very dangerous for your mental health and there are those who became FOMO because of regular use of social networks and dating apps.
The FOMO person phenomenon in Tinder and dating apps
FOMO is the abbreviation of “fear of missing out”. It’s an adjective that describes people who are always on the edge because they think they are missing something out. It’s very common to find a FOMO person in dating apps such as Tinder or Meetic.
According to psychologists such as Buenaventura del Charco in a Vogue Spain interview, a dating app is not bad per se. However, the format of the dating apps encourages seeing other people solely as products to consume. The interactions become more superficial when compared to a real date. Lots of users then enter into several conversations through dating apps trying to widen the possibilities through virtual chat.
The Tinder users tend to feel FOMO. An anxiety that leads them to think that talking with a person may steal them tie to meet a more interesting one. It’s some kind of endless loop that makes them feel always dissatisfied. At the end of the day, the FOMO closes doors that could be leading to somewhere nice.
External validation is another element that psychologists describe as common to dating app users. In social networks it’s also present and it can lead to the addiction to likes. Insecure people use Tinder just to be seen and passed by the rest of the people. 1, 2 or 3 matches can be enough to calm the necessity of likes. In the long run it’s prejudicial because it hides a deeper problem: low auto esteem and lack of self acceptance.
What should you do to avoid FOMO in Tinder and dating apps according to experts?
Following Buenaventura del Charco’s advices users should know where they get into when using dating apps. It’s also important to know what are they going to find in these kind of apps. Avoiding the idealization of apps and the people inside it it’s crucial.
You may be attracted to someone in Tinder immediately, but it’s important to build a healthy relationship. Pay attention to that person behavior and don’t be carried away by just a few photos.
Analyzing how you feel when using dating apps it’s also relevant. If you feel any discomfort, the best solution is to stop using it. It’s not a good idea to use social apps only for external validation. You must always know what you use the dating apps for and don’t get used by them.
If you have an unstable mental health, try avoiding dating apps. If you don’t have a strong auto esteem, you shouldn’t use social apps or Tinder because you may get addicted to likes just for others to see you.
5 tips to correctly use dating apps
In order to avoid a FOMO person in Tinder or dating apps, it’s a good idea to follow these 5 tips. They can help you to use dating apps wisely and avoid idealization of people and tools alike.
What others users do, doesn’t say anything about you.
If someone stops chatting with you, even if the conversation was good, doesn’t mean you have a problem. The context of every person is different. And by the end of the day, if they are not interested in you, they lose the opportunity to know you.
Empathy and reciprocity
Don’t say or do anything that you don’t want others to do or say to you. If you do this, you contribute to making dating apps a more sincere and nicer place.
Understand a FOMO person as natural to Tinder and datings apps
The FOMO is common to social networks and dating apps and you must know that those that talk to you are also chatting with others. Act accordingly and enjoy the dating apps rules.
Be honest
You have to be honest about who you are and what you are looking for. Don’t fake interest and be open about what you look for and what you like.
Don’t pose
Avoid posing on the dating apps. It’s normal to choose your best photo and avoiding telling embarrassing moments on the first conversation, but don’t lie to yourself and others. Be genuine.