A recent decision to divorce does not exactly put spouses in the best frame of mind. Whether the marriage ended due to infidelity or just growing apart, the emotionally-charged aspects can result in spouses acting out.
Pre-social media, soon-to-be-divorced spouses would vent to their friends via telephones about their soon-to-be exes or decry the state of their lives over lunches.
Changing times
The advent of the internet and social media changed how people communicate. Instead of commiserating with those close to them in person, they could turn on their computers and type their feelings, valid or otherwise. Far too often, it makes an already bad situation worse.
For those who cannot resist random tweets or Facebook messages about their ex, staying far away from social media can minimize drama and give them time to focus on family and themselves. The other option is to avoid negative speech that could hurt someone or result in retaliation to their targets, friends, and family.
Online discoveries
Ironically social media can become a path toward marital dissolution based on results from two studies:
- Computers in Human Behavior link social media with a reduction in the quality of a marriage. The rare ones that can stay away are 11 percent happier in their marriage than regular users whose preoccupation can chip away at the strongest of relationships
- Loyola University Health System cited two billion users who uncovered infidelity, accounting for one out of five divorces nationwide
The divorce process sees spouses not at their best. Outside forces, mainly social media, can undermine a more peaceful path that allows a couple to move on and start the next chapters of their respective lives.
