(ThyBlackMan.com) Social media. It is something that has become an integral part of our society. Many people use it all day every day. Kids have grown up with it being an ever-present thing in their lives and don’t know life without it. Social media has done some great things. It has helped individuals find their long-lost family members and it keeps us connected in a way that we could not be connected before. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and the like are godsends in a lot of ways, but it’s not all good. Unfortunately, social media has a dark, ugly side and far too often relationships fall victim to the countless issues the platform brings.
Have you ever had a situation where social media threatened your relationship? It happens far more than people realize. While most folks believe that the bond they have with their significant other (SO) is strong enough to combat the effects social media can have, the truth is you don’t really know until you are in it.
Social media can influence your relationship. Here are some things to look out for.
Unrealistic Expectations
This is a big one. Too often, a person can let what they see others doing with their lives dictate how they feel about their own. This is dangerous because if you get nothing from this article, please understand that rarely anything is as it seems. People flaunt all the time on social media so if you are comparing your relationship to what others say about theirs through pictures, posts, and videos you are doing yourself a disservice.
Encourages Cheating
I know I am not the only one that has heard of people breaking up over things that have gone down in the DM (direct message). Social media platforms are breeding grounds for cheating. Engaging in taboo behaviors in the secret of your phone or behind your computer screen is exhilarating; it’s adventurous. But if you are in a relationship, it’s wrong.
Attention Robber
Another one that people need to realize; social media can suck the life out of your relationship when you or your partner constantly use it. In the car, on the train, at work, on a date, in bed; it doesn’t stop. This can affect intimacy for sure and when the romance wanes, that’s a whole other set of problems to deal with.
Leaves you Empty
I cannot tell you how many times I have seen friends post on Instagram, get excited about a whole bunch of likes and then turn around disappointed when the next picture or video doesn’t get “enough” engagement. Social media skews your perception of life and can make you put emphasis on the wrong things. That, in turn, can affect the quality of your relationship because wanting to get the affirmation of others subconsciously conditions your mind to crave that kind of attention all the time. In the end, you are left empty and dismayed about your life; all because of likes on a picture.
Social media can be used for good, but in those moments when the ugly rears its head, make sure your relationship is protected.
Staff Writer; Rasheda Abdullah
