It’s now common knowledge that the global coronavirus pandemic is having an effect on everyone from all walks of life. Schools are closing, workers are being told to work from home and relationships and dating has had to take a backseat too.
However, in relation to the latter, a global lockdown doesn’t mean people can’t still meet and chat with each other, as online dating sites are now proving vital for people to create and maintain close connections with one another. While many are turning to video calling for virtual dates, other dating sites such as SeekingArrangement has experienced rapid growth in the number of people signing up to its service.
SeekingArrangement isn’t your run-of-the-mill dating platform, however, as its primary focus is to partner sugar babies – young adults usually enrolled at University, with sugar daddies – wealthy older guys who gift money to someone in return for company. The website claims it is receiving an average of 10,000 new sign-ups per day, and has experienced a 74 per cent growth in users compared to this time last year.
The company doesn’t state the breakdown of sugar babies and sugar daddies within that 10,000 figure, regardless, it’s clear the older gentleman with disposable income is using the quarantine measures being put in place to search for a new partner for when the lockdown is lifted.
Pew Research Center, based in Washington D.C., USA, recently conducted a study and reports, “The importance of making a connection and staying connected during these times is paramount for people susceptible to depression and anxiety,”
“Isolation exacerbates an individual’s level of dissatisfaction with aspects of their personal life, to the extent that they are depression-prone, where isolating them could lead to negative mindsets that get worse the longer they remain isolated.”
So even though people can’t physically head outdoors and meet-up with one another over dinner and drinks, being able to engage and communicate online is now vital to prevent people from spiralling into a depressed state.