Relationships & Dating Post-Lockdown

Relationships & Dating Post-Lockdown

In celebration of Relationships Week, Relate NI as part of the Relate Federation, has conducted a piece of research with dating site eHarmony to look at the people’s attitudes to dating & relationships as we move out of living in lockdown.

We polled 3,010 people across the UK, including 305 in Northern Ireland, and asked them a series of questions about how the pandemic has affected the quality of their relationships, self-esteem and attitudes to dating & sex.

The results have been compiled into a new report, ‘The Way We Are Now 2021.’

Below are some of the key findings for NI. Download the full report by clicking here.

  • Almost a third (28%) of people living in Northern Ireland say their self-esteem has increased compared with pre-pandemic levels. In contrast, 26% said their self-esteem had decreased.
  • 66% of people in NI believe self-esteem is linked to success in Romantic Relationships.
  • 41% of NI singles are keen to enter into romantic relationships with one or more people, a higher number than the UK average of 36%.
  • In addition, almost 4 in 10 respondents in NI (37%) have made more effort than pre the Covid-19 pandemic to learn from previous mistakes and/or recognise unhealthy romantic patterns.
  • Over a fifth of single people in NI (24%) noted that they use self-help resources including books, online quizzes or advice from wellness influencers more than they did pre the Covid-19 pandemic. (Check out our relationships week self-help tips here)
  • Over a quarter (32%) of single people in NI who are more likely to enter into romantic relationships, since restrictions have relaxed, think this is because they have a better sense of what they want from a relationship than before the pandemic, and 26% don’t want to waste any more time.
  • However, sex presents an issue for some. One in four NI singles surveyed (26%) feel ‘out of practice’ in the bedroom, while a 12% are not ready to be intimate again.

 

Click Here to Download the Full Report

Click Here For Tips & Ideas on how you can learn to #LoveYourself, which will allow you to develop healthier relationships.

Click Here to find out more about Relate NI’s Adult Relationship Counselling for Couples & Individuals.

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“How Relate NI helps people”

Our counsellor was excellent and really helped me and my husband to resolve the niggles in our relationshipService Attended Adult Relationship Counselling for Couples
My counsellor was lovely, attentive and supportive. She helped me to understand my worth and for that, I will always be gratefulService Attended Adult Relationship Counselling for Individuals
This service is invaluable. Such lovely people to meet and help you through difficult times.Service Attended Adult Relationship Counselling for Couples
The service was excellent, my counsellor was really good at getting us to open up and helping us to get to the root of our issues. We have definitely improved our communication since attending.Service Attended Adult Relationship Counselling for Couples
I found the Relationship MOT an excellent method of focusing on how we work as a couple and just as importantly, where we need to work. It was professional, insightful and well worth the time. It has reminded us of how much we have to be proud of in our relationship and why it is so important to occasionally review it with experts.Service Attended Relationship MOT
I would definitely recommend using the Relationship MOT service as a bit of a check in with your partner. I thought how the counsellor was able to steer the conversation was very insightful and nuanced. The MOT reminded us about why we are great together but also the importance of communication and respect.” “Our counsellor provided an outside perspective which immediately helped us to agree that we needed to stop and think with more kindness and empathy for each other especially when stressed or pissed off. We both felt that our counsellor’s excellent and gentle facilitation was quite invigorating. So many positives!Service Attended Relationship MOT 2
Very Interesting Content. I like the concept of preparing your relationship before you have problemsService Attended Sustaining Healthy Relationships – Surestart 4
The face to face programme has made me feel connected with others experiencing similar thingsService Attended Sustaining Healthy Relationships – Surestart 3
The workshops made me more confident to balance family life after the baby's arrivalService Attended Sustaining Healthy Relationships – Surestart 2
I now have a better understanding of myself, it is good to know that it is normal to have argumentsService Attended Sustaining Healthy Relationships – Surestart 1
I felt the weekly questionnaire, couples with the counsellor's understanding of my needs help contribute to my own understanding of my mental health and needs throughout.Service Attended Adult Relationship Counselling for Individuals
I loved every session. Our counsellor listened to what we had to say and gave us helpful wee homework - would recommend this service to everybodyService Attended Adult Relationship Counselling for Couples
Our counsellor was a fantastic support - we now feel strong enough to continue working on our relationship togetherService Attended Adult Relationship Counselling for Couples
I had a very good counsellor that helped me through a lot and it has made me come out the other side.Service Attended Adult Relationship Counselling for Individuals
Counselling took us from a bad place to a good one and I would return if neededService Attended Adult Relationship Counselling For Couples
Been a lifeline to help us fall in love again - forever grateful!Service Attended Adult Relationship Counselling For Couples
I would just like to say that when I first came for counselling I felt that I was drowning.  I have completed my sessions and I now feel that I can cope a lot better with everything.  Thank you for a brilliant service.Service Attended Adult Relationship Counselling For Individuals
Thank you Relate NI for a good nights sleep.Service Attended Relate NI Kids Counselling
Really enjoyed Relate NI and I'm actually going to miss counselling.  I Found it helpful to find myself again. Very fair and equal within our relationship.Service Attended Adult Relationship Counselling For Couples
I appreciated the straightforward, helpful and informed observations about situations. It really helped me cope during Christmas which is a difficult time for usService Attended Family Counselling
The counsellor was very pleasant to meet with.  They had the necessary skills to speak and listen when appropriate.  I liked their humour and good personality.Service Attended Family Counselling
Relate NI has helped me move on as well as understand myself and situation more.  My counsellor listened to me, facilitated me and was compassionate!Service Attended Relate NI Teen Counselling
I felt the weekly questionnaire, coupled with counsellor's understanding of my needs helped contribute to my own understanding of my mental health and needs throughoutService Attended Adult Relationship Counselling For Individuals
We had four funded sessions and cannot express how grateful we are for the help, guidance and knowledge. Our counsellor was incredibly professional, and her experience and obvious passion for helping couples like us was exceptional. She helped us to understand ourselves and each other like we otherwise never would have been able to.Service Attended Adult Relationship Counselling For Couples
I have tried counselling many times in the past. This time actually made a difference. I was able to complete online sessions as well as some face to face.Service Attended Adult Relationship Counselling For Individuals

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