Why Online Dating Could Actually Be Hurting Your Love Life

It's hard to believe, but the very vehicle you turned to in hopes of ending your singledom might be exactly what's causing it.

That's the theory Dr. Sue Johnson, author of "Love Sense," shared with HuffPost Live's Caitlyn Becker in an interview on Tuesday.

"It's sort of like the web says 'here! here's this enormous amount of people to connect with, but I think it's really difficult, in fact, to really find that connection," she said.

The connection she refers to is one that transcends pictures and a witty profile. It requires looking past someone who just seems "like they fit for you," and having qualities that can't necessarily be seen through a computer screen.

"It's about how they smile. It's about whether their eyes remind you of your fathers. It's about whether they laugh at your jokes," she explained. "There are all these subtle cues."

Where searching for love online can really hurt us, however, is when users turn to it as an alternative for human interaction.

"The whole thing about online dating taking off -- what I see is, people are hungry for connection. All the research says we're lonelier and lonelier in our society. We spend less and less time talking to people we know," Johnson said.

"I think we're trying to reduce love almost to a commodity," she added. "[There's this attitude of] 'go on the web and find it!'"

Watch the full HuffPost Live segment on "understanding love" below:

Keep in touch! Check out HuffPost Divorce on Facebook and Twitter.