Reflections on dating apps

Here are a few thoughts on my initial encounters on dating apps.

When I first set my profile up I didnt mention HSP or any of its effects directly, although I did mention that I am the chair of a rare disease charity. A few on-line conversations led to meeting up for a 'real' date. After those dates, however, two things happened - I was either ghosted, or the on-line conversations dried up pretty quickly.

Without any supporting evidence, I cannot tell if any of that is to do with my HSP and my 'funny' walk, or if there were some other reason for things not going any further with most of these people.

The conversation I had with the first person I met up with was interesting. They said that I ought to consider being more explicit about things on my profile. This gives people a chance to make up their minds without me having to make such an emotional investment - i.e. there isn't any benefit to me in getting involved with anyone who is going to walk away awkwardly at the first signs of anything unusual.

It took a few months for this thought, and conversations with other people to result in me updating my profile. I chose to make two changes. In one change I went self-deprecating, and declared my walk to be like my sense of humour - both 'a bit funny'. In the other change I chose to reveal my vulnerabilities, by saying that I'm nervous about becoming a disabled person of the future.

This change was good. Conversations have been better, and have not dried up after a first real date. I feel like I'm more able to be myself, and this reminds me that my HSP is only a relatively small part of me (even if it feels like it takes over my life from time to time).

(Readers may not know what ghosting is - it is abruptly ending communication with someone without explanation - Wikipedia says: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghosting_(behavior))