40 Toxic Modern Dating Trends That Too Many People Mistake For Normal

"Dating in 2025, I feel, is like a paradox," Holly Schiff, Psy.D., tells Bored Panda.

Schiff is a licensed clinical psychologist in Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island, as well as a registered telehealth psychologist in Florida, and says, "We have more access to potential partners than ever before, but many people still feel lonelier or more overwhelmed by the process."

"Ghosting, commitment issues, and a fear of vulnerability are common, but I think there is also a real desire for authenticity and emotional safety. The dating landscape in 2025 is high-tech, fast-paced, and emotionally complex," she adds.

All in all, people seem to be content with it. Results of the Forbes Health/OnePoll survey, which surveyed 5,000 Americans who have actively dated in the last five years, show that nearly 60% feel either very or somewhat positive about dating. 23% feel indifferent to dating, and just over 13% report negative feelings toward it. Additionally, men appear to be more optimistic (68%) than women (55%).

If we were to take a closer look at what people are paying attention to, a poll by Change Research of adults between 18 and 34 would reveal that women's biggest red flag when looking for a relationship is a date revealing they're a MAGA Republican, with 76% of them saying it's a turnoff.

The second biggest red flag for women is folks who "have no hobbies" (66%), and the third is those who say, "All Lives Matter" (60%).

When it comes to men in the same age group, the biggest turn-off is people who identify as "communist" (64%), but they also have problems with those who have no hobbies (60%), as well as MAGA Republicans (59%).

Other turnoffs for men include being interested in astrology (41%) and saying, "All Lives Matter” (41%).

On the other hand, both men and women overwhelmingly agreed that they are very interested in potential partners who read: 95% of women and 91% of men said reading is a green flag.

They also agreed that they are interested in people who research the best deals and rates before buying things: 88% of women listed being a smart consumer as a green flag, and men were close behind with 85%.

Interestingly, men (63%) and women (51%) also agreed it’s a green flag when someone looks better in person than in their online photos.

When "screening" the people we're seeing, Dr. Schiff believes that "both gut instinct and factual information are important."

"Gut instinct is your nervous system's way of flagging something: sometimes it's right, and sometimes it is based on old patterns or trauma. Factual information should be used alongside intuition," the psychologist explains.

"The healthiest approach is to stay curious, definitely trust your gut, but let the facts confirm or challenge it. The key to healthy dating is noticing when something makes you feel anxious, second-guess your needs, or makes you shrink. Real connection should feel grounding, not chaotic."