It was bound to happen sooner or later- six million UK adults have given up on the idea of love and finding the one according to eHarmony.co.uk. What's most shocking is that some of those who have given up are in a relationship.
They have had many bad dates
Most have abandoned the idea because they don't believe there is anyone out there for them, because they are not meeting anyone new in their social circle/ work or that they are not feeling too hot right now. People generally feel like there is no-one who is interested in them, they feel too old or even perceive themselves as difficult resulting in the lack of interest from other singles.
Men worry more about not having the right job and not feeling in a comfortable financial position. Women on the other hand worry about trust and that a potential partner might not 'get them. Consequently more women than men have said goodbye to love for a while.
With 19% of the single population who claim to have been single for less than a year and 41% who have been on their own for a decade, it's no surprise that people are losing faith in the notion of love.
And bad dates don't help either- with nearly half of singles having a bad dating experience- they have been put off by the thought of another memorable meeting for all the wrong reasons. Anything from their date talking too much about themselves, too being bombarded with texts messages and calls after the date; such inconveniences are being cited as reasons not to get back into the game.
With that said, 10% who once had the same thoughts as the majority went onto find their person through friends, at work or via an online dating platform.
eHarmony.co.uk psychologist Dr. Linda Papadopoulos comments: "To some extent saying that you've 'given up on love' is a self-defence mechanism, lowering your own expectations so you won't be disappointed if it never happens. It doesn't mean you aren't hopeful or even actively looking for a partner. However people need to be aware of self-fulfilling prophecies where our negative expectations stop us even looking for love, because the reality is that you're much more likely to make a meaningful connection if you believe in the possibility of it happening."
Jemima Wade, spokesperson for eHarmony.co.uk, comments: "People get in touch with us every day to tell us about their newly found love stories. They're all different ages and from up and down the UK and many confess that they'd given up on finding someone who really gets them. That's how we know compatibility matching works, which is why eHarmony partners people on their beliefs, values and characteristics - the stuff that counts! It means better matches that you instantly click with, and will stand the test of time."