Many would agree that dating in todays society where everyone is addicted to Instagram, Facebook and Twitter is difficult.
It is hard to not let your mind wonder whether your significant other is inappropriately liking someone else’s pictures or even sending someone a private message.
It is stressful, especially if you’re in a new relationship or have been cheated on in a previous relationship.
Regardless of if you admit it or not, if you’re seeing someone it has probably crossed your mind what their social media habits are.
You might get lucky and your partner may not have any social media but the chances of that happening in todays society is slim.
In a new study by Journal of Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, they found that social media caused a lot of conflicts, and even worse — these conflicts had a important link with negative relationship outcomes, like cheating and breaking up.
You may think that possibly deactivating your social media accounts is the best way to deal with this when you are in a relationship, Artefact spoke to social media relationship specialist Julie Richmond and she advised that you do not need to deactivate your account, simply follow these rules to make sure that social media isn’t sabotaging your bond with your partner:
- You should avoid making it official on social media before the relationship is actually ‘official’. You should avoid posting pictures or posts about a date before you become a couple, as at this point the relationship is in its fragile dating stage. It is important to bare in mind that during the first few months of dating, privacy is key, “intimacy needs privacy to grow.”
- Richmond says that you should avoid going onto your social media when you are with your partner. It will give off the impression that your partner is not important to you as you are not paying them enough attention when you are together. Just be careful even if you are mindlessly scrolling through your social media, especially if your other half begins to show annoyance, this means you have gone too far.
- It is ok to brag about your relationship from time to time. According to studies, partners that share their relationship on social media tend to feel happier and more secure, just don’t go overboard as it won’t seem sincere. Posts about your other half makes them feel like they are involved and not being ignored.
- If you have just had an argument with your partner, or you are going through a rough patch it is a good idea to stay away from social media altogether. You can be scrolling through and your newsfeed will be filled with everything ranging from happy couples to your ex. It is really easy to log on and think about a bigger and better foundation that you do not have with your partner. In addition to this, you may end up posting something that you will regret later. So it is best to avoid this situation.
- Try to not keep your exes on social media, this will make your current partner feel paranoid and insecure.
Featured image by Thanit Chiraskamin