How often do you check your Facebook account? Maybe you use it as a way to take a break from your work, checking a couple of times during the day. Maybe you only check it every other day. If you are a news junkie or like knowing what’s going on with your friends in real time, you might check it very frequently. If you fall into this last category and you’re in a relationship, however, you could find yourself in hot water.
Recently, a team of researchers surveyed more than 200 people who have a Facebook account and were older than 18. Their intention was to determine how varying levels of Facebook use affect relationships. Of the survey respondents who were in a relationship — about 80 percent — the researchers found that those who were in new relationships were most affected by excessive Facebook use.
High levels of Facebook use, the researchers said, can incite jealousy among a spouse, who may then feel the need to keep tabs on your Facebook activity. On the other hand, Facebook provides an easy way to connect with a past lover or create a bond with someone new. It’s not hard to see how seemingly innocent chatting can lead to an emotional or even physical affair that could be followed by divorce.
To avoid any serious problems with Facebook and your relationship, the researchers suggested limiting Facebook use, especially if you have been together for less than three years. The newest relationships are most vulnerable, they said. However, sometimes an issue arises in a marriage that is too big to overcome. When that is the case, many Connecticut couples find that divorce is the right choice for them.
Source: Huffington Post, “Facebook, Divorce Linked In New Study,” June 6, 2013
