Today we're tackling a concept that's on a lot of people's minds lately: burnout. Specifically, we'll be discussing dating burnout and fatigue, which seem to be rife on social media, dating apps, articles, what have you. We'll be diving into what the data says about the increase in dating apps, how it's creating fatigue across the dating community, and whether meeting online or organically is better. Lastly, we'll be deciding if we're doomed when it comes to dating, or are there actionable takeaways we can use to improve our dating experiences?

The research used in this episode can be found here:

https://medium.com/@metbynick/the-burnout-epidemic-how-dating-apps-are-adding-fuel-to-an-already-raging-fire-9f2d4a1555e8

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/31/well/mind/burnout-online-dating-apps.html

https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/08/20/nearly-half-of-u-s-adults-say-dating-has-gotten-harder-for-most-people-in-the-last-10-years/

https://screenshot-media.com/the-future/dating/couples-meet-online-less-happy/

https://www.vogue.com/article/is-having-a-boyfriend-embarrassing-now

Today we're diving into one of our favorite things - data! We're excited to welcome Sy Dusk and Alexandra Kilpatrick from Feeld. Sy is a data analyst and Alexandra is the head of UX research at Feeld, and both of them helped analyze our co-sponsored research survey on non-monogamy (find the study here). We'll be exploring what the data says about how non-monogamous folks date, what labels mean or don't mean, how polycules are configured, and some of the challenges facing our community.

Find Feeld's data blog here!

Sy Dusk uses data to shine a light on the nuances of desire, identity, and culture. They specialize in sexuality, relationships, and dating. Sy is currently a data analyst at Feeld working on creating an unparalleled experience for non-monogamous daters.

Alexandra Kilpatrick is the Head of UXR at Feeld, where she has worked for the past year and a half. She has an academic background in Digital Anthropology, and prior to Feeld, researched identity information in virtual worlds such as the Metaverse. Often collaborating with academics, her work brings big-picture cultural insight into how people date, connect, and explore sexuality. She cares deeply about the duty of care for members and about conducting research ethically, responsibly, and with genuine respect for the communities Feeld serves.

Today we're welcoming back Damona Hoffman, the Resident Love Expert of The Drew Barrymore Show and OkCupid's Official Dating Coach. Damona is the host of the long-running podcast Dates & Mates, which has just begun airing its 10th season. She is also an advice columnist for the LA Times and a writer on dating and relationships for the Washington Post. Damona can frequently be seen on Access Daily sharing the latest dating news. We're going to be discussing her upcoming book, F the Fairytale: Rewrite the Dating Myths and Live Your Own Love Story.

Today's episode is a special crossover with actress, comedian, dating expert, and podcast host Natasha Chandel from the Kinda Dating podcast! Kinda Dating breaks down the modern dating world with different influential guests, exploring why so many of us have commitment issues. For this episode, we're discussing consensual non-monogamy in general, commitment and commitment-phobia, and much more!

Dating often puts a strain on our wallets, especially as inflation rates increase, so today we're discussing financial pressures that dating puts on people. We're going to be going over recent dating trends, how to date without going broke, and finally, some fun, out-of-the-box, inexpensive date ideas for you all to try!

For today's episode, we're joined by Damona Hoffman to talk about a variety of topics, including dating and modern dating culture, and she also answers some of our Patreon community's questions.

Damona is the Resident Love Expert of The Drew Barrymore Show and OkCupid's Official Dating Coach. Damona is the host of the long-running podcast Dates & Mates, which has just started airing its 10th Season. She is also an advice columnist for the LA Times and a writer on dating and relationships for the Washington Post. Damona can frequently be seen on Access Daily sharing the latest dating news.

This week we're talking about abundance and scarcity, and exploring the science behind feelings of scarcity or abundance and how it can affect our behavior when it comes to dating and relationships.

Is it possible to cheat in a non-monogamous relationship? We're discussing this question and a whole lot more during this week's episode on infidelity and non-monogamy.

We've talked about relationship expectations and goals, but what about standards? This episode is diving in to the concept of relationship standards, what "too high" standards vs. "too low" ones may look like, and how to reevaluate them as you go forward with dating.

During this episode, we're covering how age affects relationships, sex, and dating, and how age and generation tend to affect our approach to relationships. Additionally, we'll touch on age gaps in relationships, some challenges they may pose, and how to approach them in a healthy way.

This week's guests are Amanda Wilson and David Epstein, co-founders of the app #open, a sex positive and polyamory-friendly dating platform. Amanda and David will be walking us through some of the difficulties they faced creating the app, as well as what distinguishes it from all the other dating apps available.

Transgender rights activist and YouTube sensation Kat Blaque dishes on worthiness, being out, handling criticism, and more.

Has online dating ever made you want to tear your hair out? You're not alone.

This week we're talking about the best ways to reconnect with a partner after a separation, even when it doesn't feel easy.

This week we are welcoming special guest Erin Tillman, a.k.a. The Dating Advice Girl. Erin has coached many singles through the process of creating a dating profile and going on dates without getting burnt out in the process. Even better, Erin is tuned in to the polyamorous and queer communities. She shares with us her pro tips on messaging, first dates, and how much to disclose in your dating profile when you're seeking a non-traditional match (or two). 

At Multiamory, we generally discourage people from building their relationships on a basis of strict, primary-secondary hierarchy. However, primary-secondary relationships are still very common in the polyamorous community. All three of us have engaged in these kind of relationships at one point or another, for better or worse. In this episode, we talk about the experience of being a secondary partner, and we give our advice to secondaries for crafting relationships that will keep them safe, happy, and sane.

If you are new to poly or just opening up your relationship, you may come to a realization that is exciting for some and terrifying for others: time to go on first dates! Going on first dates when you're poly presents a whole host of unique benefits and challenges. In this episode, we lay out all the pros and cons of poly dating, as well as our most Zen advice for making each first date enjoyable and fulfilling, even if you don't feel that the chemistry is there.