Personally speaking, I am a huge social media enthusiast and I am also in a relationship. And as someone that has a profile across the majority of these platforms, I would hope that I can distinguish the negative and positive aspects on how they have an influence over us.
Three positive impacts of Social Media;
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Always in the ‘Know’ Travelling abroad, Facebook allows me to be in contact with my partner whenever needs be. Snapchat lets me see and hear snippets of their day, even if it’s only a few seconds. And Instagram lets me indulge in some of their favourite moments of their trip, however far away I am.
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Flaunt it
We are constantly encouraged to share what we’re feeling, doing, thinking and even watching! Social media gives people an air of confidence that they wouldn’t necessarily have in real-life situations. In this sense, it can bolster a relationship. Sharing sappy birthday posts or anniversary photos online shows the person they’re intended for, that they appreciate you to an extent where they want everyone to know. Morale-boosting for both parties.
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It’s a time capsule
Unbeknownst to a lot of people, social media is the 21st century’s version of a time capsule. As regards to relationships, it acts as a way of maintaining memories. With the scroll of a mouse and the click of a button, every photo and post that I have posted on my partner’s wall, or vice-versa, is accessible to me. This allows couples to see how much they’ve grown, and when times get rough, these memoirs can ground you and put everything back into perspective.
Three negative impacts of Social Media;
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Anxiety-prone
With it being so easy to connect with people online, even if you’ve never met them, social media allows anxiety and doubt to seep into the cracks of relationships. There’s always the thought of what they’re doing and who they’re with when they’re not with you. Jealousy can arise from just seeing your partner in a picture with someone else. Time and attention is crucial in relationships, the likes of Snapchat expose each person when their concentration is elsewhere.
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Too many fish in the sea Tinder and other online dating apps and websites classify as a social media, and unfortunately some people are susceptible to them even if they’re in a relationship. It can be hard to maintain a relationship with someone when it seems like there are endless people to talk to. Some people feel safer online than they do in reality, which can tempt them when it comes to talking to people behind the guise of a username and a password. It’s important to regard the perpetual happiness that you can experience with the ones you love face-to-face than the temporary happiness you might find online or with the help of one of these sites.
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Self-absorption
It’s hard to resist amplifying yourself up on social networks as to look and appear the way you think people want you to. And no doubt, it’s difficult to be with a person that ultimately has two different sides to them. These networks demand that you promote yourself and your beliefs, consequently forgetting to focus and nurture others.
Social Media has the capacity to create competition, but the opportunities and convenience that we can elicit from it are not to be forgotten. Ultimately, it’s all down to us and we have to challenge ourselves to appear online as we do in real-life situations.
Thank you for reading!
Lauren x
Photo by Rachael Crowe on Unsplash