One study published in the Harvard Data Science Review compared dating app usage to gaming. The study points out how, until recently, Tinder relied on the Elo system to rate the desirability of users and match them with others in the same league – this system is used by gaming companies to rank players according to ability.

But playing the game isn’t always good for your brain: research has found that helplessly scrolling while waiting for a match is linked to a rise in cortisol levels. “Due to the increased levels of cortisol caused by scrolling, your body actually increases its heart rate, blood pressure, and prepares for a fight or flight response,” states one academic report published by Kenyon College.

And as any dating app user knows, there are only so many times you can lose the game without getting disheartened. “I’m in a weird on-off relationship with dating apps,” says Gabrielle, 30. “At first, scrolling through a seemingly endless bank of potential suitors felt exciting, but now it’s just mundane. We all seem stuck in this cycle of being on the apps but not really using them and not actually setting up dates in real life, either.”

This feeling of dating app fatigue has become a common one among single people. So much so that in 2016 it became a recognised psychological phenomenon, one fuelled by a lack of engagement (one study from Hinge found that only one in 500 swipes resulted in phone numbers being exchanged) and the link between dating app usage and low self-esteem, which is said to come from the frequent rejection of matching with someone and being ignored. It seems that, over time, dating apps have facilitated a significant amount of disappointment and heartache.

Rosie was on dating apps for six years. “I became so tired with dating apps,” she says. “No connection I had ever went anywhere; it got to the point where replying to people on Hinge felt like a chore. It’s hard work.” She has now been with her current boyfriend for 18 months – they met through mutual friends. “If we break up, I will be so reluctant to get back on the apps. I literally dread the prospect.”

This is what a decade of dating apps has done to your brain