We have become accustomed to the oversharing in relationships. We share every adorable text we get from our partners and their selfies every hour. consistently smudged the line between private moments and public “consumption” social media. Although it may seem innocent, this practice can have a range of unintended consequences. A casual share can turn into an issue of control, judgment and miscommunication very quickly.
The Quiet Snare of Oversharing
Aisha and Rahul were perfect online pictures, posts, stories, all capturing every romantic gesture that came to mind. Behind the screens, though, both Aisha and Rahul were hardly at ease. Aisha felt obligated to post about every outing in order to keep the illusion of perfection while Rahul was nervous about who was liking or commenting or even watching what Aisha would share. This example illustrates the quiet snare of information sharing in our relationships: when people begin to publicly share something, it often begins to dictate the private emotional aspect of that relationship. Rather than enjoy being present together, partners became consumed in the anguish around curating the “perfect” life online, while unintentionally sustaining their stress and insecurities.
When Social Media Rewrites Your Reality
There’s no doubt that social media alters reality. Affected by the posts of others, couples start comparing their ups and downs in a ratio that does not suit the degree of their quarrels. The situation of the couple can be easily misconstrued by their acquaintances based on the intimacy, quarrels, or significant events happening in their lives that are shared with them. This outside recognition slowly turns into a habit. The affection, comments, and sharing can for a short time make a person feel good about him/herself, but they hardly ever point out the real state of the relationship. Eventually, the partners may turn out to be more attached to the audience’s opinions than to each other.
Setting Boundaries Without Losing Fun
It all comes down to balance. It shouldn’t be a must to share moments but rather a delight. Having limits concerning the appropriateness of posting is very important for a good connection. Talk to your partner about which moments are just for you and which ones you can share with the world. Personal talks, jokes, and random trips are often more valuable when you don’t share them online. Think about it, oversharing in relationships doesn’t only have an impact on the couple, it can also affect friends, family, and even professional connections that see your content.
Transforming Knowledge into Practice.
The initial step towards reclaiming control is consciousness. Go on a digital detox as a couple or avoid couple posts during a month. Consider why you want to over share, are you trying to be validated, trying to avoid conflicts, or just like attention? When you get to know your motives, there is less to share mindlessly. Real intimacy is based on the presence, trust and actual conversation not on popular opinion. With time, you will discover that your relationship with your partner becomes firmer as social media is not in charge.
At last, relationships boil down to trust, memories, and experiences shared just for the two of you, not for the world. Nowadays, oversharing in relationships may look like a non-issue, yet even the slightest alterations in your online interaction can be a solution to bigger problems tomorrow. Have a private celebration of love, share offline your laughter, and let your social media account show happiness rather than stress.
