Impacts of Social Media on Relationships

We live in a time where social media dominates a majority of our relationships, right from the launch of websites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and MySpace (yeah, remember those days?) that domination has only grown larger every day. Most relationships today even start on social media, with the emergence of dating apps like Bumble, Tinder, BLK, and POF the entire dating process has been sped up. People no longer have to meet up in the street or at a bar and go "Hi beautiful, I'd like to know you better." Starting a relationship today is just as easy as signing up on an app and searching for your match, and then BOOM you're in a relationship.

People have even taken the online experience of dating, moving them from dating apps to social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Starting a relationship is just as easy as saying hi on Facebook. Some may consider this an advantage; however, many complications do come with social media. Not only those that start online but also on those that start in the real world. Perhaps it is time we considered the effects and impacts social media has on us and our relationships.

Positive Effects of Social Media on Relationships

Social media has had a lot of positive effects that cannot be overlooked. Some of these include:

• It has played a significant role in connecting people and helping us stay in touch with our family and loved ones.
• Social media has helped to bridge the gap in communication.
• Introverts and those who are extremely shy and find it hard to make new friends in real life can build their confidence and reach out to people on social media.
• Social media also has helped to bridge the gap between cultures allowing for a better intercultural relationship.
• It allows people in long-distance relationships to communicate effectively by helping them stay in touch with each other through features like video chat.

Adverse Effects of Social Media on Relationships

Although social media has been great so far, it has also had its adverse effects on today's relationships and how couples communicate with each other. 

• Most couples complain that their partners now prefer to spend their time surfing through social media, giving their time to the network rather than spending quality time together. 
• Sometimes the people we spend our time on or giving this attention are not real, as anyone can set up an account and fill it up with false information and create the image they want to portray.
• Based on this addiction and craving for a dopamine response, we spend so much time on social media like Facebook focusing on online relationships. In contrast, our real-life relationship with our partner suffers. 
• While some consider friendship on social media to be real, it creates a low level of authentic, deep, and intimate interaction. We only really divulge the amount of information that barely scratches the surface while creating a false perception of an image we want the other person to see. In other words, you don't know someone till you meet them. 
• Another adverse effect that social media has on relationships is an increase in the lack of trust between partners. 
• Social media can also bring jealousy to a relationship. 
• It can create a false perception of what a relationship should be. Many people post glamorous parts of their relationships online while failing to show their struggles and hard times as a couple. Because of this, it can lead a false perception, especially on today's youths who are forced to believe that relationships are full of fun; they struggle to fix their relationship when things go wrong because they think it should never go wrong.

It takes a lot of work and openness to reach out to someone and know them personally through social media. Sometimes we spend so much time on social media that we start to neglect those we are actually in a relationship with. That is when social media becomes a problem. 

Is Social Media Good or Bad?

Social media is one of the best things that ever happened to our civilization, but they say too much of a good thing isn't good anymore. If you are used to spending too much time on social media, it could lead to problems. Spending time with your partner and giving them quality attention is a key part of what holds a relationship together. If you are spending all that time and focus on social media, it will affect your relationship, no matter who it is. 

So it is best to check yourself before you wreck yourself.