Well, there are ways to free yourself from the shackles of a situationship as well as stop it in its tracks before it gets going – and it can all begin with those initial interactions, especially for the dating app users out there.

Making it clear from the get-go that a situationship is not what you’re after can be imperative, and apps like Hinge are making it easier by providing a feature that allows you to specify what your dating intentions are and filter out those who want different things by putting your dating goals front and centre.

“On your profile, it’s important to focus on ways that you might see you and your match getting to know one another,” says dating expert Moe Ari Brown.

“For instance, you might not know that you want a long-term commitment right now but you know you want to go on dates and explore the food scene with someone amazing. Sharing this communicates clearly what dating consists of for you and leaves less room for assumption.”

Dating in 2022: this is how to avoid situationships this summer, according to an expert