How using social networking apps is affecting gay men’s mental health

It can be challenging for gay or bisexual men and other members of the LGBTQ community to be active on hetero-based sites and dating apps. However, queer-friendly apps for dating are multiplying and so the opportunities for gay and bisexual men are growing. This text will deal with the topic how using these dating apps is affecting gay and bisexual men regarding their mental health on the example of Grindr.

Gay or bisexual men often do not have many opportunities to meet romantic interests in-person, which can lead to these men having no social romantic contacts and resorting to using social media apps. Grindr is a global positioning service-based social networking application which is popular for sexual partnering. The App Grindr has three million daily active users and is designed to help gay or bi man to set up sexual encounters online and often anonymously. It works with a geo-located software, which makes it possible for users to find the nearest guy, in order to find a sexual contact to one person at any moment, or place, in time. This could possibly make it easier to connect with other gay/bi men, however it can also have a negative effect on users mental health.

Some users say that they use Grindr to stop feeling bad and that they log on when they feel sad, anxious, or lonely. To them it feels like Grindr makes these feelings going away, but this is only temporary. A study of Time Well Spent shows that 77 percent of Grindr users felt bad after using the app and that they felt regret when they logged into Grindr. Also, it can problematic that most people are using the app to fulfil only the sexual and not the emotional desire, which can lead to anxiety and depression fore some users. Another issue with the app is the influence it can have on the user’s body image. Many users upload pictures of their muscular bodies to present themselves online. This can lead to users developing insecurities about their own body. Also, the apps way of offering to meet many lovers, more than most can meet, which can lead to users feeling overwhelmed.