6. Do You Think Social Media Poses a Threat to Family and Leisure Time?

12 Ways Social Media Affects Relationships, From Research & Experts

Romanticizing other people'south relationships is not a new concept (thanks, rom-coms). Unlike a moving picture script, though, social media shows real couples living real lives. Only can looking at these seemingly perfect couples online interfere with our own romantic relationships?

Is social media bad for relationships?

Social media, if used sparingly, is not necessarily bad for relationships. Research has shown social media use tin can both positively and negatively touch on relationships, depending on how it's used. For example, social media can contribute to unhealthy comparison and unrealistic expectations for what relationships are supposed to be similar, and couples may spend more fourth dimension curating an "image" of who they are rather than focusing on the relationship itself. Social media use has likewise been linked to poor body image and depression, which can negativelyaffect relationships.

Negative effects on relationships:

1. Social media tin create unrealistic expectations.

Although in that location are some useful resources shared via social media, "what yous volition mostly see are curated and filtered posts that simply highlight unrealistic images of what a human relationship is," says sex and behavioral therapist Chamin Ajjan, 1000.S., LCSW, A-CBT.

Attempting to measure up can distract you and your partner from the relationship. Inevitably, real life won't look similar the endless highlight reels nosotros run into on social media, which tin pb to disappointment in either yourself, your partner, or both.

"You may begin to feel jealous of how much someone posts about their partner and feel resentment toward your partner for not doing the aforementioned," Ajjan says. "The lifestyles you are scrolling through may alter how satisfied you are in your relationship because they seem to be better than what you take."

2. It tin lead to jealousy.

Some enquiry has linked social media apply with increased jealousy and human relationship dissatisfaction in college students. If you are decumbent to jealousy because of an insecure zipper mode, inquiry says you may exist more likely to get stuck in a cycle of countless scrolling to keep an heart on your partner's activities.

People may get upset seeing their partner liking or commenting on other people'south posts, stoking concerns that their partner is interested in other people (or worse, is already cheating). The utilize of Facebook, in particular, has been shown to increment feelings of suspicion and jealousy in romantic relationships among higher students. "This effect may be the outcome of a feedback loop, whereby using Facebook exposes people to often cryptic information about their partner that they may not otherwise have access to," ane study writes.

For instance, cookies and Facebook algorithms can cause a partner's "hidden" interests to popular upward on their feed. The desire to find more information nigh them can perpetuate further social media apply and feelings of mistrust.

(Notably, many of these studies have been conducted on higher students, so information technology's possible that there would be differences among older couples.)

iii. Excessive social media use is linked to couples fighting more.

A 2013 study found that, among couples who had been together for less than three years, spending more time on Facebook was linked with more than "Facebook-related conflict" and more negative relationship outcomes.

Ane written report constitute that those who are dating people who overshare on social media tend to have lower human relationship satisfaction (though positive posts most the relationship itself every now and and so seemed to mediate that effect).

4. Social media might brand daily life seem less interesting.

The drool-worthy image of a couple on vacation can trigger feelings of envy, which can go along you from appreciating where you are in the present moment.

"Social media tends to ignore the gritty and mundane parts of a couple'southward lives," says Ken Folio, LCSW, psychotherapist and host of The Deeper Dating Podcast. Struggles, chores, compromise, and intimacy in the midst of challenges—these small mini triumphs are valuable, he says. Merely remember: A holiday tin can make you feel happy, just information technology's the everyday moments that pb to ultimate satisfaction.

When relationships finish, it is then ofttimes those tiny, mundane moments that evoke the deepest nostalgia, Folio adds.

5. It tin distract you lot from spending quality time with your partner.

Though internet addiction and Facebook addiction are not considered mental health disorders by theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), researchers recognize both as dependence issues, which can interfere with quality of life.

The more we go hooked on the dopamine rush of social media, Folio says, the less engaged or excited we will feel for the quieter, simpler moments of life. "Only those are often the moments when our loved one reveals something personal and intimate," he explains.

Next time you and your partner are together and both focused on your phones, bring awareness to that. "Practice valuing real-time connexion over cyberspace connexion," he says. This can help increase emotional intimacy.

6. It can touch on our mental health.

Even though social media is meant to promote connection, multiple studies have linked social media use with loneliness, mood disorders, and poor self-esteem. People with preexisting mental wellness problems may as well be more susceptible to social comparisons, due to a negative cerebral bias, one report found. On the flip side, lowering social media use has been shown to reduce loneliness and low symptoms.

Though these issues are more individualistic than relational, they can bleed into romantic relationships. When a partner is suffering from mental health issues, they may be airtight off to intimacy or become codependent.

7. It can lead to body image bug.

The filtered and edited images you lot see all over social media can cause insecurities about your own torso to surface, Ajjan says. Several studies have linked social media use and body epitome issues.

A person's trunk image issues tin can significantly bear upon their relationships. One Journal of the International Gild for Sexual Medicine study shows that heterosexual women with torso image bug have a harder time becoming sexually aroused. Another report found the way wives perceive their ain sexual attractiveness, based on negative body prototype, direct affects the marital quality of both the wife and the husband.

In other words, these insecurities triggered by social media tin can interfere with emotional and concrete intimacy and the overall quality of a human relationship.

8. It can make us more narcissistic.

Excessive social media use is linked to egotistic traits in some cases. Research confirms that addictive social media use reflects a demand to feed the ego and an endeavor to amend self-esteem, both of which are narcissistic traits. And different types of social media play into different aspects of narcissism.

For example, people who frequently tweet or post selfies may exist displaying grandiosity, one of the common traits of narcissism. Since you can be narcissistic without having a personality disorder, it's possible to develop these traits over time—and at least one pocket-sized written report has institute excess social media use may exist a trigger.

And of course, being in a relationship with a narcissist is not healthy and can atomic number 82 to trauma later on.

Positive effects and benefits:

ane. Social media helps single people meet each other.

In the digital age nosotros live in, it's not uncommon for people to meet online or through dating apps—in fact, it may be more common. A 2017 survey found 39% of heterosexual couples reported coming together their partner online, compared to just 22% in 2009. A later study analyzing the results found that "Cyberspace meeting is displacing the roles that family and friends once played in bringing couples together."

According to a contempo Tinder survey, online dating can be especially helpful for the LGBTQ+ customs. Of ane,000 LGBTQ+ adults who took the survey, 80% say online dating and dating apps have helped their customs, 52% feel more comfortable being themselves, and 45% say it's easier to explore their identity.

2. Information technology tin keep you connected to your partner.

Whether information technology's sending a funny meme over Instagram or taking a quick Snapchat, social media is an easy way for couples to interact throughout the mean solar day in a fun, low-pressure style.

This is particularly helpful for couples who don't alive together and people in long-distance relationships. Co-ordinate to a survey published in the Cyberpsychology, Beliefs, and Social Networking journal, young adults in long-distance romantic relationships are better able to maintain them if they're using social networking sites.

People who have their partner in their contour photo or have their human relationship condition public on Facebook also tend to exist happier with their relationship, for what that'due south worth.

3. You tin can learn well-nigh relationships from experts.

"In that location are plenty of accounts that offer up practiced information to aid develop and maintain a healthy connection," Ajjan says. "There is a lot of proficient data on social media from relationship bloggers, psychotherapists, and many others that highlight how to ameliorate your relationship."

As long as it's coming from a place of growth and non comparison, this type of social media tin motivate yous to work on parts of the relationship that have been neglected, she explains.

four. Information technology's like a time capsule of memories.

Social media platforms take practically replaced printed photograph albums as a place to store and share our memories. In this sense, Page says social media can be used to honor the activities y'all do and the things you create together.

Unlike a physical photo anthology, social media has the added component of followers. "In this manner, social media can exist an institutionalized way to express love publicly and invite customs back up," he says, "both of which heighten a couple'south power to flourish."

The bottom line.

Scrolling through social media all day is, unfortunately, not a hard habit to pick upward. While these platforms can offer helpful resources, they can besides pb to jealousy, mental wellness issues, and unrealistic expectations in relationships. On top of that, the act of being on your telephone constantly can distract from intimacy with a partner.

"Social media is not all bad," Ajjan says, "but if you find yourself comparing your relationship to what you are seeing online, it may be helpful to unfollow accounts that make yous feel bad and focus more on accounts that make you experience empowered in your relationship."

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Source: https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/social-media-and-relationships