Four Signs Social Media May be Ruining Your Marriage
Most people today use at least one form of social media, whether it is Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat. For most, it is an innocuous hobby, a way to pass the time and reconnect with your second grade best friend while seeing the latest in cute cat memes and share the mundane events of your life with 246 followers. But according to a recent study, use of social media, particularly Facebook, will cause one in seven marriages to end in divorce.
Like anything else in life, used responsibly and in moderation, social media is a way to stay connected with friends and family and reconnect to people who you fell out of touch with over the years, but wish you hadn’t. But in a virtual world where people only paint rosy pictures of their lives, it is far too easy to get sucked into thinking that life would be better “if only”. Here are four signs that your social media use could be negatively impacting your marriage.
Sharing intimate details. There’s nothing wrong with sharing intimacies with friends. Good news, bad news, boring details of the day to day grind or important life decisions – friends are there to act as a sounding board. But if you find yourself sharing information with virtual friends at the expense of – or instead of – your spouse, it could be a sign that you are becoming too emotionally invested.
Keeping friendships secret. Many people use Facebook and social media sites to find out what former flames are up to. For some, the intrigue is satisfied once you find out that the boy who broke your heart in college is a thrice-divorced debt collector. Others reconnect and reminisce about the past. Whatever the connection, if you hide a friendship from your spouse then it probably isn’t good for your marriage.
Airing dirty laundry. Some general, light-hearted venting about “Why are husbands always so. . .” or “Why can’t my wife understand. . .” is probably okay. People want to share the absurdity of everyday life and garner a few likes from people who have found themselves in the same predicament. But posting serious issues in the marriage, such as alcoholism or financial issues, or constantly berating your spouse’s laziness or selfishness, is a sign of a much deeper problem that needs to be dealt with outside of Facebook.
“Just one more game of Candy Crush!” Waiting in the doctor’s office, sitting at your son’s baseball practice, or enjoying 10 minutes of quiet before everybody gets home for the day – each of these is a prime opportunity play a quick game of Candy Crush, or plant some crops, or whatever the Facebook game du jour is. But needing just one more game, or not wanting to tear yourself away from the computer until your virtual peas are ready for harvest, rather than cleaning the house, making dinner, or just spending time with your family, is a sign of misplaced priorities.
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If your marriage is broken, family law firm Schwartz l White is here to help. Our Boca Raton divorce attorneys have more than 50 years’ combined experience handling divorce and child custody cases. We have the combination of experience, compassion, and sensitivity needed to help you through this emotional time. Contact our office today at 561-391-9943, or complete our online form, to schedule your free initial consultation.
