On behalf of Kenneth D. Morse posted in Divorce on Friday, September 2, 2016.
Divorce lawyers are seeing more marriages terminate due to social media and the way it affects lives of partners. Many things about social media usage can change the way people think of each other and act toward each other, making relationships more complicated than ever before.
Screen time vs. Face Time
Most everyone is tied to their social media platforms and constantly texting or talking to friends and family. Couples arrive home after work and start checking their individual phones or tablets to see what everyone else is doing. One partner in a marriage may be fully engaged on the phone with their friends and followers, while the other is not. This leads to a lack of face time with each other. This difference in the behavior between a couple can lead to arguments and disagreements, possibly even resulting in divorce. You can implement a schedule between a couple where no one accesses social media for a determined amount of time you and your spouse can talk to one another and keep your bond strong.
Marriage Comparisons
Facebook friends may post photos of themselves with their spouse on a vacation or when enjoying date night together at an exciting venue. Friends and family will comment on the photo and think the marriage is fresh and exciting because the couple appears so happy all the time. This may lead someone to examine his or her marriage in comparison to the friends. Maybe they have been married for many years and just have lost the spark, or they are so tied up between work and stress that there is no time made for the couple to enjoy each other.
When people start thinking their marriage pales in comparison to everyone else’s, they become unhappy with what they have. This can lead to being unsatisfied and wanting something or someone different and destroy a marriage. Channeling the energy into their own relationship is a better way to react to other marriages.
Married life compared to single life
Seeing the social media posts of your single “friends” may look much more exciting than your own. They may go to the finest of restaurants on dates, attend sporting events together and concerts. Some of these posts may not reflect everything about the single life. Many social media posts are staged to portray their life as they see fit, but it may not be the actual snapshot of what they are doing. People often want to portray themselves in the most positive light, but won’t post anything about the down sides of being single.
If social media seems to be contributing to your marriage ending, contact an attorney for more information. Your attorney can help you decide if divorce is right for you, and prepare you for the process. You do not want to go through this on your own, as you could make significant mistakes that threaten your future.
