Plenty of Fish Shines Light on Mental Health & Wellness with New Partnership Providing 5,000 Members with Free Self-Care Resources

VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a recent study from dating app Plenty of Fish, nearly one-third of U.S. singles have experienced increased levels of anxiety over the past six months. To help daters find some relief and prioritize mental health, Plenty of Fish is partnering with Shine, the No. 1 self-care app created by women of color, to provide free Shine Premium memberships to 5,000 Plenty of Fish members.

Beginning Friday, Oct. 9, and just in time for World Mental Health Day (Oct. 10), Plenty of Fish members will receive access to 800+ meditations, calming sounds and sleep stories, journaling exercises, tools to track mood and gratitude, and a space to reflect on self-care with a global community. Additionally, two new dating-related meditations developed to help singles better manage anxiety and improve mental health and wellness, including "Navigate Dating During COVID" and "Balance Dating While Busy" will be available for free to all Shine members.

"We believe that happy and healthy relationships start with happy and healthy individuals, which is why, during this unprecedented time, we're committed to providing our members with the tools they need to prioritize their mental health and well-being." said Plenty of Fish Head of Global Marketing, Stefan Harvalias. "We regularly gather insights from our members about pain points they experience in dating, and this partnership with Shine is a prime example of how we leverage the findings to improve the dating experience for our members."

Over the past year, Plenty of Fish has explored dating pressures with focused attention on anxiety tied to COVID-19 in recent months. Results from the latest study demonstrate just how challenging dating has been for singles this year.

Dating in 2020:

• 60% have experienced feelings of anxiety before going on a date and 29% have canceled a date due to anxiety
• 43% experience high levels of anxiety on dating apps when it comes to keeping the conversation going
• When on a date, 70% of singles are most anxious about their appearance, while 44% are anxious about their date not wearing a mask

"It's human to feel anxious when you're putting yourself out there and trying to find a meaningful connection—especially in these uncertain times," said Marah Lidey, co-founder of Shine.

"At a time where prioritizing your mental health matters more than ever, and the dating experience has changed in wake of the pandemic — we hope Shine gives Plenty of Fish users a daily ritual every day to focus on themselves. And through that daily ritual, they feel more confident, calm, and present on that next date," said Naomi Hirabayashi, co-founder of Shine.

Self-care for singles:

• 66% practice self-care regularly
• 87% say self-care activities reduce stress and 78% say they feel less stressed after a self-care routine
• Alone time, exercise and pampering are the top self-care activities
• To alleviate stress, 50% of singles meditate and 35% journal

Starting Friday, Oct. 9, Plenty of Fish members will receive exclusive details about how to register for a free Shine Premium account through in-app notifications. 

Anxiety & Dating Study Methodology
1,057 U.S.-based Plenty of Fish singles ages 18-60 were polled online in September 2020.

About Plenty of Fish
Plenty of Fish, a Match Group (NASDAQ: MTCH) company, is one of the largest global online dating companies, and is available in 11 languages and more than 20 countries. Unlike many dating offerings today, Plenty of Fish offers a less prescriptive, low-pressure user experience that allows singles to discover what they're looking for.

About Shine
Shine is the leading self-care app and community. We're on a mission to make caring for your mental and emotional health easier, more representative, and more inclusive. Meditate, connect, and reflect for free at theshineapp.com.

SOURCE Plenty of Fish

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