Digital Relationships

“Relationships are harder now because conversations become texting, arguments become phone calls and feelings become status updates!”  

Social media relationships may be beneficial and detrimental, and they have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. The amount of time that couples spend communicating with one another may be hampered by excessive social media use. Digital relationships may sometimes lead to jealously and inaccurate expectations of how one's own relationship should be.

Digital platforms may help people remain in touch with distant friends and family members and to communicate better with their spouses, kids, and medical professionals. In contrary, social media use can result in unhappy relationships and less time spent with loved ones in person. These issues may be brought on by mental illnesses or pre-existing marital issues. Additionally, 24% of couples claimed social media was detrimental to their union, while 40% of couples claimed it made them feel jealous or insecure. If we think about how today's usage of digital interactions may affect our lives, even if the family is dispersed across the world, we can see that a grandma may watch images of all of her grandchildren's activities and accomplishments away from them. 

Researchers and observers have identified three parallels between conventional relationships and those facilitated by social media. Social media platforms allow for three different kinds of online relationships, according to Ellison et al. (2010): 1) relationships that reinforce and expand upon already-existing online relationships; 2) relationships that replace offline relationships and make them weaker; and 3) relationships that expand upon and strengthen already-existing online relationships. 

At some level, contact with a buddy who is halfway around the world and engagement with a local acquaintance are just two competing ways for individuals to spend their time and energy. People frequently make such decisions and select a relationship that benefits them more overall. Online and offline interactions may appear to be straight substitutes for one another, but there are subtle distinctions between the two types of relationships that people may not be aware of. 

Social networking platforms make it possible to end a relationship in a subtle way, which makes the decision less contentious and less upsetting for the relationship participants emotionally. Thus, in our society today, updating our "relationship status" on Facebook is a method to publicize our emotions worldwide. In conclusion, digital interactions have a significant and varied influence on our lives today. Since the emergence of internet social networks, there have been countless possibilities to meet possible mates from a wide range of regions and backgrounds.

A sensation of limitless possibilities brought on by the multitude of options may make it difficult to commit or encourage "ghosting" habits. In digital encounters, the lack of non-verbal indicators can occasionally lead to misconceptions or miscommunications. Furthermore, because we evaluate our relationships against well-crafted online portrayals of others, the pervasiveness of social media can put strain on dating dynamics. Self-esteem and relationship expectations may be impacted by this. Thus, it's critical to find a balance between online and offline relationships in order to negotiate these complications.

Ms. Mini. V. K, Assistant Professor of Commerce, Al Shifa College of Arts and Science, Kizhattoor, Perinthalmanna