There are more and more people who feel comfortable with long-distance relationships based on digital communication and there are even those who prefer this type of dating over in-person relationships.
Long-distance relationships, once seen as less than desirable or a necessary sacrifice, are increasingly becoming a deliberate choice for millennials, according to a new report.
A survey by Dating.com, based on a survey of 2,000 millennials, found that 55% of respondents are open to long-distance relationships that may never turn into face-to-face contact. A smaller but significant 7% said they actively prefer this type of arrangement. Meanwhile, 37% would consider a completely online relationship, with 8% describing it as your ideal scenario.
This trend gave rise to the term “telesexual“, coined by Dating.com to describe individuals whose romantic and sexual liaisons are conducted primarily online. While the label may seem new, experts say it reflects broader changes in the way millennials live and interact in an increasingly digital world.
“Millennials built much of his adult life through screens“, suggests the report, pointing to the normalization of work, socialization and even the management of personal relationships online. As a result, digital romance seems to be a natural extension of already existing habits, says .
The findings also reveal underlying social and psychological factors driving this change. According to the report, 32% of millennials say that face-to-face interaction can be exhausting. Additionally, 65% report that it is easier to open up emotionally to someone online than to a partner in person.
Jaime Bronstein, a relationship expert at Dating.com, attributes the trend to “chronic exhaustionoverload, busy schedules and ever-shrinking social circles”, which makes traditional dating seem time-consuming and emotionally exhausting.
Digital relationships, on the other hand, offer flexibility and convenience. Without the need to travel, plan tours or deal with in-person social dynamics, online connections can be easier to maintain. Features such as messaging and video calling also allow individuals to control the pace and intensity of interactions.
Despite concerns that these relationships can feel impersonal, the report highlights that millennials have not abandoned the idea of love. Instead, they are adapting it to become adapt to modern realitiesgiving priority to efficiency and emotional accessibility to the detriment of physical proximity.
