IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON RELATIONSHIPS

Written by Liza John 

There is no argument that technology has advanced exponentially in the past few decades. It has permeated every aspect of our life that it would be quite impossible to lead a life without having access to a smartphone. As much as the innovations in the field make life easier for us, it is not without a cost. Like everything else, technology has its advantages and disadvantages.  

One aspect of life that technology has unequivocally affected is relationships. Social media platforms have paved the way to bring people closer and connect like-minded people, yet it has even farther-reaching effects. The same goes for streaming services and dating apps, modern-day relationships are being redefined by these. Here are a few impacts that technology has on your life that you should know.   

Increasingly Distractible  

Gone are the days when people could focus on a task in front of them without taking a break to look at their phones. In fact, the average attention span of a human being has fallen drastically from before. This means that the amount of time you can devote your undivided attention to something has decreased.  

When this transfers over to relationships, it can be seen as your inability to engage with your partner for an extended period of time without checking your gadgets or being unable to properly notice what your toddler is trying to tell you because you have been distracted. Being unable to focus and experience what is in front of you is an alarming side effect of using too much technology.   

Screen Anxiety 

The criteria of what was once used to determine mobile addiction are no longer applicable today because the time an average human being spends on their phone lately is leaps and bounds away from the diagnostic criteria for mobile addiction. The more time you spent scrolling through the gadgets, the more distress you feel when you are away from it and the more anxiety you experience until you can get your hands on it again.  

Screen anxiety has been found to be a significant point of conflict in many relationships because people fail to spend quality time with each other when they have the fear of missing out on what’s going on with the virtual world. Therefore, many couples and families have a strict ‘no phones’ rule after a certain time to reduce smartphone dependence and promote psychological wellbeing.  

Extended Connectivity 

Undeniably, technology has made networking easier. Families that are miles apart can keep in touch, new friendships can be formed over a shared interest, and even romantic relationships that would have been otherwise impossible can happen, thanks to today’s technology. In the trying times of the pandemic, the internet prevented loneliness from seeping into many lives.  

However, restricting relationships to the virtual platform alone is said to make people feel even lonelier and more prone to depression. Without stimulating partners to interact within daily life, the number of virtual relationships one maintains is not going to do much benefit. As always, maintaining a balance is the key.  

Time-Consuming  

This one is self-explanatory. The new game you found, the new app you discovered or simply scrolling through social media can make time fly by. Before you know it, you have been busy all day but you have done nothing at all. For teens and those in their 20s, this can cut into the time meant for academic work or even social interactions.  

Final Thoughts  

Since the day technology started advancing at a rapid rate, experts have speculated its effects on almost everything. From suggesting that the gadgets were going ruin the young minds to accepting that the internet is simply another platform for spending time, the opinions have evolved over time. While accepting the benefits that technology has on human life, never fail to address the issues caused by it. Especially children and teens need to be monitored as they step into a world where everything is open and connected.   

Maintaining boundaries is the best way to keep technology from impacting your life too much. With a healthy amount of usage, combined with an ample amount of physical exercise and quality face-to-face time with people, technology can still be the boon it was meant to be.