Social media is an ubiquitous part of daily life all over the world. It’s everywhere and, for that, its influence on our daily lives is far-reaching. That’s why, whether it’s due to the content itself or the amount of time that it sometimes seems to take, social media can also have a very real effect on your relationship.
Depending on your circumstances, such an effect can be good or bad. Read on to see if any of the following situations sound familiar.
Social Media Takes Up Excessive Amounts of Time
When used discriminately, social media need not interrupt quality time with your significant other. But if you find that time spent perusing various social media platforms does indeed seem to supersede conversation or other activities, that could be a problem.
It Takes One or Both of You Out of the Moment
How many romantic occasions have been disrupted by the sudden need to stop and take an “Instagram-worthy” shot? Not only does this interfere with real life, but the need to then post those photos can turn private times into public events. The joy of such moments then becomes at least partially contingent on how may likes they get.
Disagreements Start Over Posts and Comments
Private moments shared or insensitive comments made about other posts can easily result in conflict. If you or your partner puts up a post that the other person doesn’t agree with or makes them feel violated in some way, that can produce real feelings of mistrust.
You Feel Suspicious About Social Media Friends
If you’ve been together a while, you both likely have a lot of the same friends on social media. But it’s the ones you don’t know that could cause a trust problem. Of course, suspicion about each other’s friends stems from deeper issues than social media. In this case, real communication is needed to mitigate any fears of cheating or rejection.
It Can Make it Harder to Communicate
When you spend so much time scrolling, watching videos, and talking in memes and emojis, that can make it more difficult to communicate effectively in person. It can make it harder for you to find your words when you need them during conversations or arguments.
It Could Perpetuate a False Sense of Reality
Often, social media posts project an idealized view of a person’s situation. Then, when all they post is about how wonderful and dreamy their relationship is, it can make you start to wonder why yours isn’t that way. This can make you feel that something is wrong with your relationship when, in fact, it’s probably perfectly normal.
Social Media is a Viable Option for Meeting People
Social media isn’t all bad, of course. For one thing, when it comes to starting relationships, it can be a great option for meeting people you might not have otherwise. You can quickly discover shared passions, values, and other compatibility factors. At the same time, it allows for a certain amount of distance to make you feel safer while you’re getting to know someone.
It Can Help You Feel More Connected
A shared love of cat videos, funny memes, and celebrity posts can give you and your partner reasons to laugh and bond. In this case, social media is not a reason for you both to isolate yourselves from each other, but instead to come together and share.
How Does Social Media Affect Your Relationship?
If you honestly find that social media helps you feel closer in your relationship, that’s great. Otherwise, if you feel that it does more harm than good at times, it could help to set some ground rules. You may agree to set time limits on social media browsing or to consult one another about any posts that may include the other person.
Social media isn’t going away any time soon. As long as you can set your phone down every once in a while and find a way to maintain balance in your relationship, there’s no reason why social media should be the thing that makes or breaks your relationship.
For more relationship tips and advice, be sure to check out all the articles available in the Relationships section of the PeopleFinders blog.
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