Today, social media has become an essential part of our lives. Social media has both positive and negative effects on relationships. It has the potential to make or break relationships. It is a great platform to make newer connections and go to the extent of knowing them personally. Sometimes you may end up with good relations, while you may not the rest of the time. It keeps you updated about the world around you. Meanwhile, social media can also ruin your healthy relationship with your partner in many ways. It can be a massive roadblock in a healthy relationship.
About half of Americans in a married or committed relationship feel their partners are distracted by cell phones. Also, around 24% of adults in relationships are somewhat bothered by their partners’ spending time on social media. Social media can trigger conflicts among married couples or people in committed relationships. Some feel the partners cheat on them as they start a conversation with an old flame or find a new connection.
Some of the effects are:
No time for each other – If you are married, or in a committed relationship, it becomes crucial to take out time. It often happens that if you start scrolling through Instagram or Facebook feeds, you may end up using it for hours without realizing how much time you have spent. You may end up being on the phone longer than doing other activities. There are chances you might be missing moments that were worth spending. If this is your usual activity, your partner may be irritated by you.
Rekindling old flames – Couples likely have close friends or old flames they interact with on social media by liking their pictures or commenting on them. It can be bothersome for partners as there can be suspicion over the growing closeness on social media posts.
Cheating – Is the partner loyal? Is your partner cheating on you with colleagues, friends, or maybe some new connections? Not having enough time for your partner and spending a reasonable amount of time interacting with new people or others on social media can get you in deep trouble.
Over-sharing – Some people prefer sharing on social media, which can be worrisome if their partners do not like it. If a partner doesn’t prefer to share anything about their timeline of events on social media, the other is enthusiastic about it and shares. It is likely a cause of conflict among them.
Self-conscious – Social media reflects on people living larger than life. People having a good life with money, expensive cars, and whatnot can make some feel they are missing goals. There are chances that partners or couples can think over it and feel bad about themselves.