Social Media and Relationships: Navigating a Whole New World
Posted on February 18, 2024 by Karina Schneidman, One of Thousands of Business Coaches on Noomii.
The advent of technology has allowed many romances to develop that would never have happened before.
If asked, most recently formed couples will say they most likely met online. Social media has allowed people from all walks of life the opportunity that was never there before – the elimination of physical boundaries. Physical proximity was one of the biggest factors that determined how people met each other as long as humans have existed on this planet. Today, however, anyone from anywhere can message or call anyone at any time. India? Russia? The Amazon? An internet connection is all that is required to strike up a conversation, like a photo or leave a comment.
The advent of technology has allowed many romances to develop that would never have happened before. Even individuals that live in the same city tend to use social media to meet their significant other. Social media allows individuals to preview potential partners and gain a lot of knowledge about the person they are considering dating, likely even before the first interaction.
Today, through Instagram or Facebook, you can learn what the person looks like, where they work, if they work out, who they are friends with, and what they do for fun. This takes a lot of the guesswork out of a first date, and can likely help people eliminate non-matches without wasting anyone’s time. Feel very strongly about the importance of animal rights and see a potential mate eating a burger? Eliminate. Don’t want to date anyone with children, and see a photo of their kids? Eliminate.
While there are definitely positive aspects of social media on relationships, there are a multitude of negative aspects that affect couples, as well. The first and of the largest issues is the inability of some people to settle down because of the variety of potential options online. People are less likely to commit when they believe that there are countless options out there that may be better suited for them. The everlasting search is leading many individuals in the cycle of the next best thing, instead of focusing on their current partner and truly working on making their relationship a success.
The other major issue that many couples face when it comes to social media is jealousy and lack of trust. There are so many common scenarios when it comes to this topic – seeing a strange woman leaving a comment on your boyfriend’s photo. Alternatively, seeing a wife’s colleague sending her messages on social media or liking her photos.
What can these actions mean? Are they innocuous or do they break a boundary? Is interacting with anyone of the opposite sex online considered cheating? There are no clear answers to these questions, and all of them are truly dependent on the spoken or unspoken rules of the relationship.
Couples that are more secure may be more lax on social media communication, believing that harmless likes or comments will not break the bonds of their love. Others that may be in new relationships or have less built up trust may react in a completely different manner. Many couples report fights and issues over the role of social media in their lives.
The truth is that social media communication needs to be discussed early on in every relationship. It’s important for all parties to be honest about their boundaries, thoughts and concerns when it comes to this topic. Not all social media use is bad – it can lead to the development of new friendships, learning about different cultures, or promoting one’s business. However, both people need to respect each other’s opinions and come to a mutual understanding of what’s appropriate in their unique relationships.
A relationship coach can be instrumental in helping couples start a healthy dialogue about this topic and develop concrete rules that both can abide by. Karina is a board certified Natural Wellness Coach with over a decade of experience in the wellness industry. What sets Karina apart from other coaches is her clinical background in behavioral sciences and the business industry. After receiving her MBA and working in the corporate world, Karina went back to school to receive her second master’s degree in Operational Organizational Psychology and worked as a marriage and family therapist. Karina utilizes all of this experience to help individuals cultivate sustainable lifestyle changes that foster not only physical health, but also mental clarity and emotional resilience.
