In today’s society, it has become hard to not be exposed to becoming distant and unavailable to communicate our emotions effectively in real life. This could be with someone you might be interested in, or someone who you are already in a romantic relationship with. Social media has many benefits, but also like many things in life, it has negative traits. When it comes to having or maintaining a romantic relationship, social media has helped keep contact and maintain communication even if your special someone is miles away. However, it can also make it harder in a way that the interactions can feel draining or superficial.
With texting nowadays, most of the interactions we are used to are reactions or abbreviations that don’t really make an impact for the better in a relationship. There is something about a raw moment in person and having a conversation that you feel is meaningful and productive, even if it is simply talking about each other’s day. I refer to texting as per se direct message through instagram more specifically or snapchat users. Additionally, there are various factors that can affect someone’s relationship due to social media without even noticing that it is having a negative input or effect. We are vulnerable because we are constantly exposed to multiple lives from different people we follow all over the world. It can be very overwhelming and cause anxiety constantly being engaged on social media and maintaining a relationship.
Furthermore, social media allows us to have interactions with a lot of people and sometimes having a group of people you talk to normally makes it harder to keep a relationship genuine and maintain a connection. Another factor that is worth highlighting is that when spending a lot of time on social media, it can take away time and precious moments that you can have with someone you’re in a relationship with in real life. It can be going to dinner on a Friday night and instead of talking and expressing your emotions while keeping eye contact with your partner, you or your partner decide to take out your phone and go on social media. It is even harder and more upsetting when both individuals in the relationship are more attentive and engaged to their phones than each other.
Moreover, a factor that also plays a part is the comparison of your own relationship to others. This habit of comparing can truly damage and hurt a relationship and make it even harder to maintain. It is also important to state that self-esteem can be a huge element in a relationship and self-esteem can be hurt when you are exposed to social media and you may develop a change in mood or behavior. It can also stem from regular posts of other relationships or even your own.
On the other hand, as mentioned earlier, social media can help in maintaining long distance relationships and give us a sense of connection and proximity to our significant other. It can also open a wider window into finding a partner and building a relationship starting from online dating and social media as well. I believe the key to using social media to benefit your relationship is knowing how to foster your relationship and respecting each other’s time together. Also, if initiating a relationship or conversation with someone you see a potential future with, it is essential to have real communication and be open to having real interactions that can help grow the connection.