After a long day of work and everything else that kept the two of you busy, you are finally with each other. But are you, really?
Instead of feeling each other’s presence and talking to one another, you pick up your phone just to get a glimpse of the number of likes on your Instagram post. There’s not much different from the last time you saw it, which was literally 3 minutes ago. You leave your phone, look at your partner, and ask them how their day was. Good, they say, also glued to the screen. And now your partner asks you something and only hears half-hearted hmms and yeaaahhhs. And the cycle continues.
A time comes when this becomes the norm. You start accepting this behaviour of each other. None of you makes a deliberate effort to put this behind you, when you’re together. That is when the relationship starts to deteriorate.
Just like everything else in the world, its roots start from the least expected place. While you were busy portraying to have a strong and excellent relationship, the two of you wouldn’t have had a great conversation off late. Even before you realise it, an invisible bridge is built already. All the charm that was in the relationship initially, starts to fade away gradually. You are not as emotionally connected now, as you used to be.
Not just romantic relationships, consuming too much social media affects all sorts of relationships. At some point, you start comparing your mundane life with that of your friend’s exciting ones, fearing that your lives aren’t as good as theirs. Gradually, you tend to withdraw yourself from them. Excessive use of social media is often associated with depression because of its impact on an individual’s self-esteem.
Finally, My two cents
Social media can be a great tool to build relationships, but itβs important to be mindful of how it is used. Remember that it should not replace face-to-face conversations. Silence your social media when around your partner, even if you have nothing to do. Initiate a conversation, talk about anything and everything(even the bizarre things). Because at the end of the day, communication is the key to a healthy relationship. Keep the line open, always!