If I had a dollar for every time a couple cited a social networking site as a cause for dispute, I would be a very rich woman. As cliche as this may sound, it is a relatively accurate statement. The social network phenomenon is fairly new to the dating world. This new addition has brought focus on the positive and negative aspects of the accessibility created through interacting on social sites.
People are given the opportunity to meet people they may have never encountered in their daily travels. The new-found accessibility widens the dating pool from which they can choose from. Conversely, the public nature of social networks allows for the actions people take to be monitored and scrutinized. Several arguments have started between partners over a comment on Facebook, a liked picture on Instagram, or the amount of time a person spends tweeting. The negative aspects lead some to believe that social sites should be abandoned when in a relationship. I believe that complete desertion does not always have to be the answer. Here are a few tips to assist you in maintaining your social networking activity and your romantic relationship:
Schedule a social network moratorium. Often times couples complain about the frequency in which their partners engage with social networks. Collaboratively pick a chunk of time in which you both agree to stop your cyber interaction and start interacting with one another. It does not matter if it is for a full day or a few hours, find something that works for you both.
Follow the Golden Rule. Treat your partner the way you would like to be treated. If you are not comfortable with certain interactions on social sites, it is best to avoid engaging in the same activities.
Avoid airing your relationship dirty laundry. If you and your partner are going through some issues in your relationship, discussing them on a social site may exacerbate the problem.
Work on establishing and maintaining trust. A liked status on Facebook does not automatically equate to infidelity. Every Twitter follower is not trying to interfere in your relationship. Sometimes the issues people have with their partner’s cyber interaction stem from deeper trust issues they have with one another. Work diligently to discover and rectify these problems in order to move forward within your relationship.
If you feel that your social network involvement is interfering with your relationships, do not hesitate to contact a therapist at Philadelphia MFT for assistance.
This topic of the week was written by Malyka Cardwell, MFT
People are given the opportunity to meet people they may have never encountered in their daily travels. The new-found accessibility widens the dating pool from which they can choose from. Conversely, the public nature of social networks allows for the actions people take to be monitored and scrutinized. Several arguments have started between partners over a comment on Facebook, a liked picture on Instagram, or the amount of time a person spends tweeting. The negative aspects lead some to believe that social sites should be abandoned when in a relationship. I believe that complete desertion does not always have to be the answer. Here are a few tips to assist you in maintaining your social networking activity and your romantic relationship:
Schedule a social network moratorium. Often times couples complain about the frequency in which their partners engage with social networks. Collaboratively pick a chunk of time in which you both agree to stop your cyber interaction and start interacting with one another. It does not matter if it is for a full day or a few hours, find something that works for you both.
Follow the Golden Rule. Treat your partner the way you would like to be treated. If you are not comfortable with certain interactions on social sites, it is best to avoid engaging in the same activities.
Avoid airing your relationship dirty laundry. If you and your partner are going through some issues in your relationship, discussing them on a social site may exacerbate the problem.
Work on establishing and maintaining trust. A liked status on Facebook does not automatically equate to infidelity. Every Twitter follower is not trying to interfere in your relationship. Sometimes the issues people have with their partner’s cyber interaction stem from deeper trust issues they have with one another. Work diligently to discover and rectify these problems in order to move forward within your relationship.
If you feel that your social network involvement is interfering with your relationships, do not hesitate to contact a therapist at Philadelphia MFT for assistance.
This topic of the week was written by Malyka Cardwell, MFT
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