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3 ways in which social networks destroy our relationships

3 ways in which social networks destroy our relationships

February 29, 2024

Social networks are a reality and have modified the way we communicate with each other. Not only do we pay a lot of attention to our presence in these networks, but we also delegate to them the communication channel with friends that we do not see often.

Social networks have also changed the experience of traveling. It is no longer just the incipient (and annoying) presence of selfie sticks alone. The experience of traveling, always associated with seeing with your own eyes monuments, cultures and cities seems to be obsolete: now many tourists are limited to see reality through the screens of smartphones . Immortalizing the moment through a gadget seems to be more important than discovering it by oneself, with the senses with which Mother Nature has endowed us. They are 2.0 trips, and I'm not talking about walking on Google Street.


Life behind a screen

It is a real pity and many psychologists warn that living life through constant exposure to social networks can cause a lot of problems when it comes to the way we relate to other people. And not only because of the obvious difficulty of engaging in conversations and "friendships" through networks, but also by the self-esteem problems associated with this dependence on the mobile . Dependence that, by the way, is called nomophobia.

We spend more time thinking about how other people perceive us than not living our own adventures and experiences. We are pending throughout the day to check if we have new notifications in social networks, instead of doing activities that we like and that allow us to meet other people with whom to perform in real life. We need to feel connected with other people, because it is one of the necessary elements to feel happy, to be healthy and to live longer, but ... are we doing well?


The 3 ways in which social networks destroy our relationships

We have to recover the ability to relate without the need to have a screen in between. Social networks can help us maintain contact with friends who live far away, but it should only be that: support.

Let's check some ways that new technologies and social networks can reduce the quality of our personal relationships in real life ... and some tips to improve the situation.

1. Do you feel that you are missing something? The FOMO syndrome

What really attracts us on social networks? Share moments. In the form of photography, video, status, joke ... but share moments with others. But although this sounds very nice, the truth is that many people live so aware of social networks that end up missing those unique moments, in the eagerness to take a photo or explain it to their contacts.


We are denying ourselves the possibility of experiencing happiness and special moments just because of the narcissistic need to show the public how happy we are or the interesting life we ​​have. In addition, we live subject to positive reinforcement, in the form of likes and comments, which aggravates the problem.

This is one of the problems, but it is not the only one. In fact, it is already beginning to talk about the existence of FOMO syndrome, whose affected have the bad feeling of being "missing something". It is a situation of permanent anguish, which does not allow us to enjoy day to day and personal relationships in the flesh.

More about the FOMO syndrome: "FOMO syndrome: feeling that the life of others is more interesting"

2. Addiction and self-absorption: Nomophobia

There is a fine line that separates pleasure from addictive behavior. When we started using social networks, unconsciously, may we use it as a way to get validation from our contacts , and this can cause us to enter into a negative dynamic.

The brain regions that regulate the sensation of pleasure reward us positively in the face of novelty, and it goes without saying that social networks bombard us with thousands of current news: new posts, new images, new news, every second that passes.

It is ironic that a tool that has been designed to connect with other people makes us feel isolated and obsessed for the image we are offering. Addiction to social networks also comes hand in hand with anxiety and, in severe cases, depressive symptoms.

When we spend a few days on the beach, our main motivation should be to enjoy those moments of relaxation, and not be aware of the source of pleasure generated by social networks through the photos and comments we are publishing.

3. Social networks and happy social relationships: can they coexist?

Recent research showed that the mere presence of a smartphone in the context of a conversation between two people (face to face) interferes with the feeling of intimacy , connection and in the quality of communication. Almost nothing.

We are social beings and we need to be in contact with other people. When we interact with someone in real life, we understand their emotions and feelings and exchange other information beyond the strictly verbal. If technology devices get our conversations, we are likely to become desensitized and our ability to empathize with others, little by little, diminishes, and thus our ability to genuinely connect with others. Although social networks were designed to connect with each other, they may be distancing us from perceiving the needs and thoughts of the people around us, and this endangers the quality of communication and, ultimately, of social relationships and relatives.

Social networks and happiness

Actually, we should try to make a very simple reflection: to be permanently connected to social networks makes us experience magical moments? Probably, your answer will be negative. You have to learn to live the moment without the intermediation of public exposure. Let's not make of our life a kind of Truman Show.


Are there Social Media Rules for Relationships? (February 2024).


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