The Impact of Social Media on Human Relationships Part 1: The Problems

Social media has become a crucial part of our everyday lives in the current technological age. Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter (X), and Snapchat have brought about a monumental shift in how we relate to, interact with, and ‘voice’ ourselves. Yet, while claiming to provide a means of connection, social media often disguises the increasingly significant problems they cause our relationships with other people in real time. From disrupting and deteriorating face-to-face relationships to increasing mental illness and warped societal attitudes, the changes are profound and wide-ranging. This article discusses the major issues that social media has caused in our relationships with people, specifically: trust, emotional intimacy, and social behaviour.

1. Disintegration of Face-to-Face Interaction
   Perhaps the most serious social media issue is how it affects in-person interactions. As time goes by, it takes less time to send a message or share a story than to call someone or meet someone. As such, the skill of face-to-face interaction is on the decline. Often, eye contact, body language, and unfiltered emotional cues—the building blocks of strong relationships—are missing in cyberspace. Numerous studies suggest that frequent social media users are likely to face difficulties with simple social skills, causing anxiety in real-life interactions. A 2023 report by the Pew Research Center indicates that close to 40% of young adults aged 18–29 confess to being socially awkward offline after spending too much time online.
   
2. Superficial Relationships Take Hold

Social media promotes quantity rather than quality. It’s not uncommon to have hundreds or thousands of friends or followers, but how many of those are close relationships? These online ties tend to be superficial, sustained by likes, comments, or memes, and not by meaningful conversations. This facade of familiarity creates a false feeling of belonging. Psychologists are adamant that relying entirely on direct contact for support may be even lonelier than when a person has no support at all, especially during personal crises when real support is valuable.

3. Relationship Jealousy and Trust

Though this is not an unusual occurrence, there is a tendency for frequent use of these apps that provide the option to view images, videos, and communicate with others to contribute to misinterpretation and eventually jealousy in dating relationships. For example, when a person in a dating relationship likes, follows, or comments on another person’s post, it can generate feelings of insecurity and skepticism in their dating partner, regardless of there being no actual cheating. A study published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking found that 1 in 3 couples reported that they had fought about something one of them did or saw on social media. With time, this may erode trust, create the impulse to surveil (read partner’s messages or followers), and create emotional distance.

4. Social Media Addiction and Neglect of Real Relationships

The design of social media may be inherently addictive (push alerts, endless scroll, likes, etc.) and can lead to individuals spending hours staring at their phones and making it all too easy to forget the correlations of reality. The cost of this screen time: dinner conversations ignored, partners left out during crucial conversations, or parents missing from family time. A 2024 American Psychological Association survey discovered that 68% of individuals had previously had an experience over the past week when they had felt snubbed by another person who was using a phone while they were conversing . Such “phubbing” (phone-snubbing) behaviors can threaten trust, affection, and intimacy in personal relations.

5. Comparison Culture, Self-Esteem Problems

The second issue that has arisen as a result of social media is a comparison culture. People tend to only share their best selves online, such as their best times, vacations, and accomplishments, and they hide their struggles. For the viewer, it creates an unrealistic world that leads to feelings of envy, inadequacy, and anxiety. When people feel like they’re “not good enough” when comparing themselves to others, it not only fundamentally undermines their mental health but often becomes a threat to their relationships. Low self-esteem can develop into emotional dependency, withdrawal, or even defensiveness toward a loved one.

6. Cyberbullying and Online Harassment

Social media is not always a secure environment. Toxicity, online bullying, and cyberbullying have increased disproportionately, primarily among teenagers and young adults. Their emotional scars of online abuse often spill over into offline relationships as they withdraw or become fiercely defensive. An estimated 37% or more of adolescents in 2022 reported being bullied online, with long-term effects on their trust and communication styles offline.

7. Social Anxiety and Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)

Constant access to everyone’s social life—parties, vacations, achievements—can create FOMO, as people begin to feel left out or isolated. This can make people overdo themselves socially, sideline genuine relationships for the sake of “being seen,” or even doubt the quality of existing friendships. This, in turn, hurts relationship satisfaction and breeds social anxiety.

A Complex Web of Challenges

Whereas social media has been designed to unite people, it ironically tends to cause more emotional detachment in most real-life relationships. Issues vary from compromised communication to emotional insecurity and lack of trust. The cyber world can never be able to offer the depth and touch of human presence. As we keep advancing in this digital era, recognizing these issues is the starting point for reclaiming the power of our real-life connections.

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