You’ve heard of career burnout, but what about dating burnout?
Unfortunately, burnout of any sort is common in today’s world. With high expectations to be “always on” and “available” at all times of the day, whether for your boss, your mom, your friends, or your partner (or every single one of them), simply going about your daily life can be exhausting.
When it comes to dating, however, there’s an entirely new level of fatigue—especially if you’re swiping on the apps. In fact, according to a 2025 Forbes Health/OnePoll survey, 79% of Gen Z and 80% of Millennials report dating app burnout.
You might be wondering: isn’t the simplest solution to just…delete the apps?
Well, sure…that could certainly help with the burnout. But just because something might cause emotional exhaustion in excess doesn’t mean it’s entirely negative. Today, it’s one of the top ways to meet a new partner. Eliminating dating apps altogether might discourage people from putting themselves out there and finding love and connection.
Thankfully, you don’t have to delete the apps to recover from dating app burnout. In fact, part of the solution is to continue swiping—but with more boundaries and clear intentions.
“Often, problems created in a certain context can only be solved within that context,” says Dr. Sabrina Romanoff, relationship expert and Harvard-trained clinical psychologist. “It’s not about deleting the apps, but about transforming how you emotionally relate to them and how you use them.”
Romanoff shares four tips for recovering from dating app burnout, so you can still find your perfect match.
1. Make IRL A Priority
When we experience burnout, the main issue isn’t the source of burnout itself—it’s our relationship to it. For example, most of us need jobs to survive, and our careers can be fulfilling if we don’t let them consume us. However, we fall into burnout when we give too much of ourselves to work and too little of ourselves to life.
The same goes for dating apps. If all you’re doing is swiping, matching, talking, dating, ghosting, and repeating, you’re bound to fall into a rut. Instead of relying solely on the apps, try striking a better balance in your dating life.
“Fill your days with hobbies, routines, plans, and new experiences—whether that’s picking up a creative skill, scheduling time with friends and family, or enjoying simple walks outside,” Romanoff recommends. “This does two important things. First, it makes you a more interesting, well-rounded person who isn’t waiting for someone to complete your life—which is highly attractive when dating. Second, and more importantly, it keeps you balanced, fulfilled, and stable, helping you ride out the inevitable highs and lows of modern dating.”
2. Find Swiping Buddy
We tend to experience burnout when we feel alone in an experience. Sometimes, all we need is validation from someone who relates to our situation.
“Choose someone—a close friend, family member, or even a coworker—to share your dating ups and downs with and trade honest feedback, laughter, and support,” says Romanoff. “Dating today is often far more isolated than in the past; most connections happen solo through screens, not out with friends. Counterbalance that isolation by talking through your experiences with a trusted confidant. Their perspective can help you stay grounded and keep dating from feeling so lonely.”
3. Untangle Your Worth from the App
As Romanoff puts it: “The more you equate dating app experiences with rejection, the more your self-worth can erode.” With this approach, you’re bound to fall into emotional exhaustion and low self-worth in no time.
“It’s easy to read rejection into every silent swipe or missed connection, but that’s rarely the full story,” says Romanoff. “When you don’t hear back, avoid assuming it’s personal—maybe the person is just busy or not dating seriously.”
4. Swipe on Schedule
No more doomscrolling and swiping out of mere habit. Be more intentional with your dating app use, and you might notice less burnout.
“Stop opening your app in every quiet moment or when you’re feeling bored or lonely,” Romanoff warns. “With constant phone access, dating can start to feel like an endless job, which leads straight to burnout. Set a boundary on your usage, and be disciplined with it.”
The post 4 Ways to Cure Dating App Burnout Without Rage-Deleting Your Profile appeared first on VICE.
