Being single isn’t a constant party — it’s full of ups and downs just like anything else in life, and it can seriously blow sometimes. In fact, when you don’t have a BF, you’re in a constant state of anxiety. Here’s why being single can be stressful as hell:
- You wonder about everything. Did last night really go OK or did the guy hate you? If you go on a third date, does that mean it’s going to be a relationship or could you still get totally ghosted? The questions never stop running through your brain and you basically worry and wonder about every aspect of your dating life.
- You have daily freak-outs. You hope you won’t be single forever, but you don’t really know, since of course no one can guarantee you love. You secretly freak out every day about your status, even if you try to hide it from your friends and family, since you want them to think you can deal.
- You second guess your decisions. You wonder if you should have said yes to that second date or if you were correct to assume there was no chemistry. You’re never sure if you’re doing the right thing and the insecurity can be crazy stressful.
- You have to keep a smile on your face. OK, no one’s forcing you to be in a perpetual good mood, but no one likes a sullen single woman. You don’t want to upset your friends and fam, so you try to look on the bright side. All that pretending definitely takes its toll.
- You navigate the minefield that is online dating. Ugh. Just the thought of logging on again and seeing the creepy messages, being called beautiful by strangers and having the same convos is enough to make you break out in hives.
- You rack your brain for date conversation. Sometimes you’re just not feeling it — either you’re not sure about the guy sitting across from you yet or you’re getting over a crazy time at work. There’s nothing more stressful than forcing yourself to come up with interesting things to say on a first date.
- You field questions from everyone. Your best friends, your mom, your coworkers… you’re always being asked if you’re seeing anyone or if you’ve been on a date recently. Why don’t they get that if you were dating someone, they would know?
- You try your best. You put on a new dress and head out to a bar on a Tuesday evening when you’d rather curl up in a ball and never leave your apartment. You make small talk at parties and events, wondering if it’s possible to meet IRL anymore. You always try your best and do what you can to make a connection, and you’re pretty exhausted.
- You expect the worst. You laugh at your old naive self who actually got excited about dates. Now you have to muster up the courage and the smiles to face another night out. You don’t want to be a super cynical person who always expects the worst, but you can’t help it. You just can’t take another disappointment and that’s the most stressful thing of all.
