Damona Hoffman on Access Daily: Why the Dating Crisis Just Got Worse (And What to Do About It)

Remember when we called it a “romance recession”? Well, things have officially escalated.

Damona recently joined Kit Hoover and Karamo Brown on Access Daily to talk about why dating in 2025 has become a full-blown crisis. The numbers don’t lie: top dating apps are down 7% year over year, which translates to hundreds of thousands of people saying “I’m out” and opting out of dating entirely.

So what’s driving people away from love?

Ghosting. Time-wasting. Lazy effort. And a growing frustration that no matter how much you show up, the other person just… doesn’t.

In the segment, Damona broke down why men have “set it and forget it” dating profiles (75% aren’t even updating them), why women are refusing to negotiate their standards anymore, and what the rise of expensive matchmaking communities like Bethany Frankel’s new dating club says about where we’re headed.

But here’s the good news: Damona also shared three New Year’s dating rituals that can help you set real intentions for love in 2026, including the 12 grapes tradition, red underwear under your mattress (yes, really), and the “first footing” rule that determines who crosses your threshold first.

The bottom line? People are tired of the nonsense. And 2026 might just be the year we all stop accepting breadcrumbs and start demanding what we actually deserve.

Watch the full Access Daily segment here to see Damona, Kit, and Karamo talk dating crisis solutions, intentional love, and why showing up with effort shouldn’t be this hard.