In this day and age, social media has become the norm, and everyone seems to have some sort of electronic device in front of them. It has already been debated on how much this is affecting people’s interactions with others, but the issue never seems to go away. But how much is it affecting relationships, especially romantic ones?

We’ve all seen that couple at the restaurant, appearing to be on a date but only looking at their phones the entire time. It may not seem like anything odd, but the lack of communication seems like a big buffer in a relationship; Why date if you don’t communicate?

‘Disconnect to connect’ is an appropriate phrase here, but it seems to be becoming harder and harder for our generation to remember that. There are plenty of aspects of social media that affect dating relationships; some are good and some are bad. However, which one outweighs the other can vary from couple to couple.

Many couples have probably met through social media, so it does offer the extra benefits of meeting people easier. Sure, people might prefer the old fashion way of meeting face to face, but times have changed.

Social media has also provided an easy outlet for communication without having to physical speak out loud. Couples can get in touch with each other with a simple text or see what they’re up to with the new Snapchat update. However, this also may open the gateway for mild clinginess and obsession. If you look up your significant other’s location and they are not where they said they’d be, you might get a little suspicious. And that suspicion could turn into something worse.

With social media comes many platforms, and an unfaithful partner may have an easier time hiding their infidelity by using different apps to contact their partner in crime. A stressful thing to consider, but there are people out there who take advantage of how many different outlets there are to social media without having to worry about getting caught.

Social media has become a part of everyone’s lives, something that would feel like a phantom limb if taken away. In relationships, it can make a huge impact on couples, but it also depends on the couple to see if it affects them positively or negatively.

Some relationships work best that way, and some don’t. Social media is so deeply ingrained in today’s society that change might be hard. However, just take the time to reassess how your relationship is going, and you can decide for yourself.

Written by: Alex Dunn