Can Technology Destroy Relationships?

Medically Reviewed on 3/9/2022
Can technology destroy relationships
While technology has helped bring people closer together, it can also create problems in romantic relationships in the following ways.

To comprehend the relationship between technology and relationships, we must first comprehend the effect of technology on relationships.

Without a doubt, technological improvements have made life a lot easier, and theoretically, they should have brought people closer. However, sometimes, technology plays a spoilsport in budding relationships.

  • Texting can lead to misunderstanding:
    • We convey letters and words when we text a message. The true idea, context, and meaning are sometimes lost in those printed letters, resulting in misunderstandings.
    • Everyone interprets a message differently and may get a meaning that is completely different from the intended one.
    • Furthermore, if you insert punctuation by accident, it can lead to further misunderstanding.
    • Texting has become one of the most popular modes of communication. When texting, emotions are suppressed, and a little shift in perspective might lead to an argument.
    • Moreover, in the heat of the moment, it is simple to type a message and send it. What one does not comprehend is that once communication is sent, it cannot be retrieved.
    • Later, it may be a source of regret, and disagreements may widen. Instead of bringing us closer together, technology can cause more clashes and altercations.
  • Virtual life:
    • When you share space in virtual worlds, technology ruins relationships.
    • Living together in the flesh and blood is not the same as dwelling in each other's virtual world.
    • The virtual connection lacks life, and even if you live under the same roof, you will not be living together.
    • Human connections and relationships suffer because of virtual ties.
    • Social media image and unrealistic expectations that come with it often lead to narcissistic qualities in both partners.
    • Unexpected beauty standards perpetuated by social media can create unrealistic expectations from life partners and superficial relationships.
  • No time together:
    • The presence of smartphones, televisions, laptops, or tablets may all result in increased distance between people. People do not spend time together because all their time is spent on these gadgets.
    • It has become usual to see two individuals share a couch, but each is engrossed in their electronic devices. Because of technology and its negative effects, people spend far less time together.
    • When two people live in the same house and spend time on separate devices, they become strangers to one another.
    • Each person's gadget has a different environment. The internet world consumes the majority of one's time. Online pals and their lives consume so much of one's time that family members become strangers.
    • All that remains is being imprisoned in individual screens, speaking with friends, sharing posts, commenting on social media, pinning posts, and watching videos, while the loved one sitting next to you is forgotten.
  • Loss of feelings:
    • Speaking to someone in person, holding hands, making eye contact, hugging, laughing at small jokes, and sharing experiences are all methods to convey love and affection. All these things are impossible to achieve while communicating through a device.
    • Messages lack emotion and feeling, and as a result, they become little more than news items.

Technology is a major issue because it can become incredibly addictive for anyone.

We are evolving into a society where rapid answers are just a click away. Texting is faster than calling or having a face-to-face chat, and social media has become a key communication channel. We can create emojis that closely resemble ourselves, and there is an emoticon for practically any emotion.

Although technology has the potential to make life easier, it has the potential to devastate our mood, feeling of well-being, and relationships. If you are feeling alienated from your partner and believe it is due to technology, you can avoid it from compromising your relationship.

What can I do if technology is interfering with my relationships?

Technology offers both advantages and disadvantages. There are numerous reasons to explain how technology destroys relationships when it comes to partnerships. The trick is to recognize the bounds of technological intervention in our life and use them to our benefit rather than the other way around.

  • Unplug:
    • Create a mutually agreed-upon period (ideally daily) when you both unplug, even if only for a few minutes.
    • Consider extended times with no technology, such as weekends, road trips, and vacations.
  • Make technology agreements:
    • Establish clear guidelines for when technology is not suitable in daily activities such as eating.
    • Furthermore, if exceptions are made, ensure that they are exceptions to which both of you agree.
  • Catch each other in the moment:
    • Try to avoid gadgets during your intimacy times and spend time discussing your life and future with your partner.
    • Ask for questions and answers about relationships between each other rather than searching it over the internet.

QUESTION

Which chemical is known simply as the "hormone of love?" See Answer

What is the role of technology in strengthening relationships?

Technology sits in the middle of the reimagined partnership. Unlike the traditional method of resolving conflicts between couples, groups, or families, new inventions are excellent tools for transforming today's relationship into a technological one.

Here are some examples of how technology can help enhance relationships:

  • Virtual life:
    • Long-distance relationships used to fail without technology. Families and partners can now stay in touch by using social media and free online conferences, which are available on practically all internet-connected devices and smartphones.
    • In truth, virtual intimacy is popular, particularly among couples when one partner lives on the other side of the world.
  • Constant communication:
    • In contrast to traditional relationship nurturing, where one had to physically make effort to be with the partner, continual communication has overcome that barrier because messenger messages, SMS, and video chats are now available at the convenience of everyone.
    • Communication in relationships can be always maintained, regardless of time or weather.
  • Enhanced emotional support:
    • Stress and anxiety in relationships caused by distance and other life conditions are best treated with more emotional support through internet patching.
    • Coping with homesickness and alone time has been made simple and convenient, which substantially benefits family or group members who live far away.

People are not supposed to let technology come in the way of any connection and have a bad effect on it. Instead of breaking down and creating a relationship through time, technology should promote connection. Instead of separating oneself from the rest of the world, technology could expand the number of relationships among friends. Technology should be used to build relationships, and it is a terrific tool for making things right.

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Medically Reviewed on 3/9/2022
References
Image Source: iStock Images

3 Ways Technology Can Negatively Impact Your Relationships: https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/3-ways-technology-can-negatively-impact-your-relationships-0919167#:~:

Has Technology Ruined Relationships? https://papyrus.greenville.edu/2017/12/has-technology-ruined-relationships/

The Pros And Cons Of Technology And Relationships: https://www.regain.us/advice/general/the-pros-and-cons-of-technology-and-relationships/

Is technology ruining human relationships? https://www.debate.org/opinions/is-technology-ruining-human-relationships

Enhancing relationships through technology: directions in parenting, care giving, romantic partnerships, and clinical practices: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7366940/