The Dramatic Rise in ‘Single-Use’ Relationships
We’re all familiar with the toxic effect of single-use plastics; but what about the impact of single-use relationships?
More than 65% of millennial relationships now last less than a month – offering little more than a surface-level sexual attraction, according to an eye-opening new survey by love and relationship website theGroundwork.co.uk
With a demographic well-versed in the art of swiping right - 83% of millennials say they crave something more meaningful from their relationships.
In the Facebook poll of 2,000 men and women aged 28 to 38:
- 65% said their last relationship ended within a month
- 83% admitted they were looking for a longer-term relationship, with honesty and understanding ranking as the most desired qualities within that
- 57% said they had little faith in finding a partner in the current dating climate
“There’s nothing wrong with a one-night stand if that’s what you want,” says Gavin Bloom, co-founder at the Groundwork
“But what we’re seeing is a real desire for a deeper and more enduring connections among today’s digital generation of 30-somethings.
It seems that our instant gratification culture has given rise to ‘single-use’ relationships that rarely deliver the kind of depth and substance that millennials crave.
“People are so busy looking for ‘more’ and ‘now.”
The current spike in disposable relationships is breeding insecurity, with many of those polled saying their confidence had been dented as a result of brief, “empty” encounters.
“Hollywood movies teaches us that ‘chemistry’ happens in a heartbeat. In reality, that spark can take time to nurture - and it helps if you know what you really want first of all,” says relationships expert and co-founder, Christina Macnamara.
“The Groundwork is a online dating course to help you begin this journey of forming better, more enduring relationships: both with other people, and yourself.”
