3 WAYS TO MAKE SURE SOCIAL MEDIA DOESN’T RUIN YOUR RELATIONSHIP
Facebook- the lesser of two evils. I’m sure you can all relate to the initial stalk of your crush, maybe to get a little bit more information or suss out whether they’re worth your time. When this develops into a relationship we might feel a little crazy as looking at their profile becomes a regular occurrence. Or maybe even going to the effort of sussing out the friends commenting on their stuff and determining whether they are a direct threat to your relationship and BAM… Jealousy and panic sink in. This might be seen to some as possessive but when this information is free for the taking why wouldn’t we?
We don’t realise that Facebook is a sinking anchor in our relationships until you hear figures such as “33% of divorced couples cite Facebook as a reason for their spilt,” or “82-79% of people surveyed at St Mary’s University said a social media account had sparked conflict in their relationship ending their romantic relationship.” In this same study, participants stated “Facebook-induced jealousy may lead to arguments concerning past partners”. This is no surprise as you can learn a surprising amount about someone’s past through posts, pictures or tagged photos. This could then lead people into comparing past relationships with their current one and becoming paranoid or angered by being treated differently.
Because this is such a big issue in society it’s important to follow these 3 tips to make sure Facebook or any other social media account doesn’t get in your way.
1. Stop the continuous newsfeed scrolling.
In relationship studies it was shown that logging more time on Facebook was linked to conflict within the relationship. A way to avoid conflict and overthinking posts from/to your partner you should limit your daily social media limit. If you find yourself scrolling the feed while you’re with your partner this should also stop as Christie Hartman, PhD, author of Find the Love of Your Life Online explained that this action could imply you’re disinterested in your partner since they aren’t your main focus.
2. Stay away from social media if you’re upset or down.
If you’re in a difficult space in your relationship you might start over thinking everything you see which could make it far worse. For example if you see posts of people in relationships acting a certain way such as the typical titanic or notebook memes, or maybe you read an article titled “5 reasons you know your partner is that one.” Seeing these types of things will only make you question your relationship and make you hypersensitive with everything they’re doing, even if they aren’t acting any different, and possible spark a fight that you can’t recover from.
3. Share your partner with your Facebook friends
While everyone has their own opinion of whether pictures of your relationship should be posted publically on your social media accounts there has been proof in the Social Psychological and Personality Science Journal that people who post images with their partners are more successful relationships. This is because people in these relationships are more likely to be feeling for filled and happy about their bonds with their partners. The article stated explains that you aren’t on Facebook ignoring your partner, you’re on there including them into your life and bragging to your friends about your happiness. Be careful not to go overboard to the extent of annoying your friend, but don’t hesitate to change your profile picture to one of both of you.