Social media is such a profound part of most people’s lives, it’s no surprise it has a way of having a major impact on your relationships — both positive and negative. Everything from sharing your password to posting something you shouldn’t have
1. It interferes with communication
As Techspirited.com discusses, communication is key in a relationship — now matter how new or serious it is. What tends to happen, however, is that individuals get so sucked into their social media personas that they stop properly communicating with their S.O.
2. It interferes with closeness
“One thing most couples complain about these days is that instead of spending quality time with each other, the partners are constantly hooked on to the social media to know what is going on in the lives of others,” Techspirited.com continues.
3. It sets you up to be suspicious
There positives to sharing your login information to video streaming and social media with your partner. But this access can also cause suspicion to creep in. According to a study done by Comparitech.com “half of those who do know their partner’s passwords admitted to logging in without their partner knowing, and 52 percent said they read their partner’s private messages as well. That’s a pretty big chunk of people who broke their partner’s trust.”
4. It makes you miss the little things
One of the biggest drawbacks to being glued to your social media accounts all the time is that you end up missing out on the things around you. This can be particularly damaging early in a relationship when two people are just getting to know each other, MyDomain.com says.
5. It can make you too self-absorbed
Let’s be honest — having a social media account is pretty self-serving. If you’re more interested in taking a selfie with your S.O. than actually engaging in activities with them, it shows you’re more interested in your image than being with that person. (More on that on page 10.)
6. It can keep you connected over long distances
Yes, there are some positives social media can add to your relationship, and that is it can keep you connected when you can’t see each other face to face. Heck, it’s no wonder long-distance relationships have reached new heights.
7. It can become your main means of communication
If you have the means to see your partner face-to-face but choose to spend time talking to others via social media, your offline relationship could be in trouble. MyDomain.com explains “when we are constantly tied to our phones checking work emails, news alerts, or simply scrolling through Instagram, it’s imperative that we learn to balance this with offline time with our loved ones.”
8. It can help prevent arguments
This goes back to sharing login info with your S.O. and communicating openly so the social media monster doesn’t take over your relationship. According to Comparitech.com’s study, “roughly 53 percent of married people shared their passwords, while over 34 percent of those in a relationship (but not married) felt comfortable doing so.” The biggest reason for sharing? Because “they felt they had nothing to hide on their social media accounts.”
9. It can also cause arguments
In Comparitech.com’s study, more men than women “found they were less trusting after they exchanged passwords with their significant other” because “sharing a password did not always mean permission to snoop through DMs or check out social media activity.” This can no doubt lead to a blow out and further trust issues.
10. It can create false expectations about relationships
As ThriveGlobal.com aptly summarizes, social media accounts act as highlight reels and not accurate portrayals of what goes into a relationship. Looking at the happy times on social media as a model for a healthy relationship is only going to create unrealistic expectations of what a relationship entails.
11. It can cause you to overshare your relationships with others
Social media encourages users to overshare. This can create trouble if your partner isn’t crazy about you posting every aspect of your relationship. “There is no need to take your private life public,” communications expert Leslie Shore tells MyDomain.com. “Posting about your partner’s choice of a birthday present for you or gossiping about your S.O. are communications best left out of the public eye.”
12. It can serve as a sign of affection
Surprisingly, Comparitech.com’s study revealed that 8.8% of men and 3.6% of women in relationships said they have shared passwords and other social media info because they think it shows affection. (Honestly, we’re not sure if sharing your Facebook password can be considered romantic or affectionate. But to each their own, we guess.)
13. It can make it difficult to deal with real-life issues
Overuse of social media can turn it into your main way of communicating — which can hurt how you deal with communication offline. ThriveGlobal.com points this hurts our abilities to maintain relationships because we start thriving off social media likes and validation instead of actual human contact.
14. It can create unnecessary misunderstandings
Long story short: Tone of voice doesn’t translate over messaging or social media very well. “Texting between each other should be positive and factual,” Shore tells MyDomain.com “Do not allow jokes or sarcasm to creep in, as they don’t translate well, and create a rift instantaneously.”
15. It can make it harder to get over a relationshi
We all know that one person — heck, maybe you’re been that person — who drives themselves crazy after a breakup by diving headfirst down a social media rabbit hole, whether it’s stalking an ex or just trying to find a connection with someone else. The best course of action in this case is to unplug for a little bit — before these online factors hinder another relationship.
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