Is Social Media Making us Insecure in a New Relationship?

By: Jessica Danielle Ramirez

The feeling has happened to all of us one time or another. After meeting someone who has potential to be your next love interest, you are curious to know everything about him and the most convenient option is to friend him on social media. 

It may seem innocent and even thrilling because you can secretly find out his hobbies, who he associates himself with, cute baby photos, and even how far away he is from you.

But while this may seem exciting and harmless, it may stir insecurities.  The excitement of getting to know him disappears because you already have an image of him and what he’s like based on pictures, comments, and status updates that can be interpreted in many ways.

Regardless if you two are in a committed relationship or are just taking the first steps, you’ll want to share the photos of you two as a happy couple online for the world to see. 

But of course this does not apply to everyone because some people choose to keep some aspects of their life private.

Sujeiry Gonzalez, author of Love Trips: A Collection of Relationship Stumbles said, “ Speak of your expectations regarding social media and how much, or how little you want to share. That way, you don’t turn to Facebook stalking, or accusing him of hiding your relationship.”

Maybe not friending the new love interest on social media would be beneficial in the long run. Getting to know someone new isn’t as fun if all of the information (good and bad) is one click away.

From our readers:

Cathy, 24. “If you use social media and send a message to your “partner” you can see if they’ve viewed it. If they haven’t viewed it you wonder why, but if they have viewed it and didn’t reply, you also wonder why.”

Yahaira,20. “I don’t feel insecure. When I’m dating someone, social media gives the guy a glimpse of who I am and what I do. I think this helps because then he knows what I’m interested in and what we can talk about.”

Michelle,24. “I don’t care what other people think, but yes it does. It has made me feel a little insecure because I don’t know all of his friends yet.”

Sujeiry Gonzalez, coined the “Latina Carrie Bradshaw” is a relationship writer and author of Love Trips: A Collection of Relationship Stumbles. The 2013 Love Guru on Exitos 93.9 FM provides relationship advice daily on LoveSujeiry.com