Ways Social Media Impacts Your Relationship
Social media is an important aspect in most of our lives; it has revolutionized communication and how we see relationships. You can show affection to your loved ones and also keep in touch. It can also lead to problems when not used properly. As social media becomes more popular, more issues arise. Some people compare their lives to what they see, while others hide things from their partners. They spend more time on the internet instead of focusing on their spouses. Social media has both positive and negative impacts.
Positive Impacts
Helps You to Connect with Your Partner
Social media is one of the easiest ways to keep in touch with your partner; for instance, you can send memes. This is ideal for long-distance relationships to interact throughout the day without pressure. You can also make your relationship status public or have your partner as your profile picture.
Meeting New People
Technological advancement has made it possible for people to meet online. It is not uncommon for singles to meet online and create long-term relationships. You can meet other singles on Christian dating apps with similar ideas and mutual interests. It is an ideal place to meet many people and choose whoever you like.
Negative Effects
It Creates Unrealistic Expectations
Most people are aware that social media is ‘fake.’ People don’t post their failures, and others fake their lifestyles. Most couples on social media post filtered images that emphasize unrealistic relationship images. Attempting to reach this level can take a toll on your relationship. Real-life does not look like what we see on social media; focusing on this can disappoint you and your partner. You might start to envy someone’s life, and what he posts; this can lead to resentment towards your partner. What you see while scrolling might cause dissatisfaction in your relationship.
Jealousy
It’s easy to feel jealous and dissatisfied in your relationship when all you see are happy couples living their best lives and loving their partners. It can be a problem, especially when you are overly clingy; it can cause you to spend endless hours monitoring your partner's social media activities. It might upset you if your partner likes or comments on other people's photos or posts. It can arouse jealousy and suspicion; you might your significant other is interested in those people.
Boring Life
People on social media don’t post reality; this can make you feel like a failure or as if you are not living your best life. This prevents you from appreciating and enjoying simple moments. Social media does not highlight the mundane and realistic parts of a couple’s life. It ignores struggles, intimacy, chores, and compromises which are present in every relationship. Going on a vacation is awesome, but small wins bring satisfaction.
Ignoring Your Partner
Did you know that internet addiction is real? Most people wake up and check their social media accounts even without leaving their beds. Social media get you hooked on dopamine; this takes away the excitement of the simple but important moments in life. Next time you meet up with your partner, try to put away your phones and focus on each other; this strengthens your connection.
Body Image Issues
Social media is the worst place to look for ‘body goals’; most people post filtered and edited pictures. Even Instagram models don’t look like their pictures. This can lead to body image issues and insecurities; it can make you feel unattractive and insecure. Your body image issues can take a toll on your relationship. Insecurities fueled by social media can erode physical and emotional intimacy and the quality of your relationship.
It Creates Narcissists
Using social media excessively can lead to narcissistic behaviors. When you’re addicted to social media, you feel the urge to feed your ego and improve your self-esteem; these are some narcissistic traits. Frequently posting selfies or tweeting is a display of grandiosity which is an obvious sign of narcissism. These traits can develop over time as you increase your social media usage. Being in a relationship or dating a narcissist is unhealthy.
Conclusion
The internet has negative and positive impacts on our lives. The invention of social media made life easier; you can communicate with people miles away and share beautiful moments with your loved ones. It can also impact you negatively by imparting vices and other bad traits that can take a toll on your relationship. It is important to use social media responsibly.