Hinge Launches New Feature to Focus on Self-Care
Contributed by: kellyseal on Monday, June 06 2022 @ 11:06 am
Last modified on Monday, June 06 2022 @ 11:52 am
Dating app Hinge launches its latest feature aimed to spark conversation around self-care, a topic that has become popular in the wake of the pandemic.
Self-Care Prompts are meant to be conversation starters that specifically address mental health awareness, where users provide responses which populate their profiles, according to Tech Crunch[*1] . Users can choose up to three new self-care prompts to talk about from a total of 15 Hinge provides.
Some of the prompts Hinge offers include: “My last journal entry was about…,” “The last time I cried happy tears was…,” “My friends ask me for advice about…,” “To me, relaxation is…,” “I feel most supported when…,” “A boundary of mine is…,” “When I need advice, I go to…,” “I hype myself up by…,” “My self-care routine is…,” “I wind down by…,” “Therapy recently taught me…,” and “I get myself out of a funk by…”
Hinge found that ninety-seven percent of its users want to date someone who “actively takes care of their mental health,” according to Tech Crunch, but found only 9 percent were willing to bring it up to their dates when they are first getting to know each other.
There is still a perceived stigma attached to seeking out therapy and addressing mental health, but the pandemic caused a shift in the general attitude towards self-care. We weren’t able to connect to others physically for months, and as a result, many struggled emotionally as well. Tools like online therapy sessions made it easier to seek help, so the trends towards these types of services is growing, and people are more willing to talk about their experiences.
Another health-focused dating trend that came out of the pandemic has been sober dating, where people meet up in places other than bars so that they can get to know each other without help from drinking. (Alcohol consumption increased significantly during the pandemic.) Some people have even begun to add “sober curious” to their dating profiles.
It’s important for many singles to not only seek help themselves, but to talk about their mental health with potential dates. Tech Radar[*2] points out that eight in ten Hinge users say they are more likely to see someone again if they discuss self-care on a date.
“Talking about mental health has gone from an “oh no” to a must-have in modern dating,” Hinge’s director of relationship science Logan Ury shared in a statement. “People have been working on themselves and want to be with someone who’s done the same. By adding Self-Care Prompts, Hinge is helping singles show that they prioritize their mental health, and are ready to connect in a deeper, more authentic way.”